We Could Be, Part 1
by Julian Dimera
Summary: So this is a new fic I wrote that continues in the same universe as my previous fics: Here For You, Shorts 1, Away From Here, Shorts 2, and Who I Am. It's a bit different in format and shifts a bit more on other characters as well. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy. Chad - CD, Will - CM, Dario - FSM, Sonny - FS
1. Gabriella Hernandez, Part 1

**Chapter 1: Gabriella Hernandez, Part 1 – Tuesday, September 13th, 2016**

 **A** djusting well to something new in life is an immense accomplishment, especially when the change or changes arrive with sudden and great responsibility. Choices have to be made differently than before. Sometimes when one thing is gained, another is lost.

"Come here you little stinker," Gabi called out to Carter as she swiftly chased him into his colorfully messy bedroom. She finally had him cornered – right where she wanted him. "We need to change your clothes, Carter. Can you help me by finding your shoes?" She hoped by engaging him, he would stop putting up a fight.

Carter remained still. He eyed his mother for a moment contemplating if he wanted to find his shoes. "Mama… I'm hungry."

With her focus on her son, Gabi took another step forward and immediately jumped in pain because she accidentally stepped on one of Carter's toy cars. Trying to walk off the pain, she noticed Carter smiling at her. "Oh, you think that's funny? I'm glad you can laugh at Mama…"

When Gabi was close, Carter gave her a quick hug and kiss hoping it would help the pain in her foot to go away. "Mama. You need to find your shoes and put them on. I'm hungry."

Sitting on the floor, Gabi pulled Carter closer. "I know you're hungry. That's why we need to get ready now – so we can eat."

"Okay."

As Carter searched for his shoes, Gabi rubbed her slightly injured foot for a moment before pulling herself up to grab the clothes she picked out for him before she had to chase him around the house. She sighed with relief when Carter quickly found his shoes under his bed and began to help him get dressed. "You're doing a good job, Carter."

Gabi began to reflect on how much her life had changed in the last few years. She smiled at the way Carter watched her every move – the way he called her Mama – the way he loved her. A sadness abruptly came over her. She didn't want to lose this.

Carter carefully moved Gabi's long dark hair from her eyes so he could study them. "Mama, what's wrong?" he asked with great concern. "Does your foot still hurt?"

"I'm fine." Gabi smiled for Carter before pulling him into a hug. "Are you ready to visit daddy?"

* * *

 _Sunday, October 27th, 2013_

* * *

Gabi sat on the couch glancing through the Amazon app on her phone when a sudden knock sounded on the door. She looked over to the couch next to her for a moment before pulling herself up to answer the door hoping that whoever was on the other side did not knock again. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to find Nicholas on the other side. "Nicholas… is the reception over?"

Nicholas entered the condo Gabi shared with Manny and Arianna and looked around wondering what emergency kept Gabi from coming to Billie and Frankie's wedding. "Everything okay?" He looked towards the couch when he heard a faint noise and spotted Carter sleeping with a blanket covering his body. "What?"

With her hand over her forehead, Gabi stepped between her boyfriend and the beige-yellow couch. "I told you not to come tonight. I planned to talk to you tomorrow."

Rubbing his suddenly tense shoulder, Nicholas gave Gabi a confused look. "Why can't you tell me now? Who is the baby?"

Gabi stalled for a moment by turning her attention to make sure Carter was okay. She walked over to him and made sure the blanket covered his body so he wasn't cold. After another deep breath, she locked eyes with Nicholas and candidly confessed, "I may have made a rush decision, but I did so because I didn't want to see him get abandoned."

Looking down, Gabi shook her head hoping this all made sense to Nicholas. She continued, "My oldest brother was given up by my mother to a church, and he really turned out messed up. Kinsey signed over her rights to her son, and now Carter is in my custody. I want what is best for Carter, and if I am not what is best, I will make sure he gets it."

As Gabi went silent, Nicholas couldn't believe what his girlfriend had shared and tried to process it the best he could. His mind was blown from all this information rendering him silent as well. After some time, he looked away from Gabi and finally spoke, "I can't believe this is happening."

Though this was not the reaction she hoped she would get, Gabi tried to salvage this conversation by relating to Nicholas's bewilderment. "I'm still shocked by it," she admitted, "…but I had to act fast." Noting that Nicholas wouldn't look at her anymore, she began to fear the worse. "Is this it then? Is this already happening?"

Recognizing that Gabi was asking if they were breaking up because of her decision to take in Carter, Nicholas quickly returned to reality and rushed to her side. "I will support whatever decision you make. I'm not leaving your side. I will help you with whatever you need."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

Carter was now dressed, and Gabi managed to put on her shoes without losing sight of her son. Leading him towards the front door, she grabbed his light jacket to put it on, but her cell phone began to ring. "Just one moment, Carter." Gabi walked over to the sofa and found her phone in her purse rather quickly. "That never happens," she commented before answering.

"Hey sis," Dario released on the other side. "I'm only calling to make sure you and Andrew got the final catering menu for the wedding this weekend."

Gabi sighed and rubbed her head as she apologized. "Sorry for not texting you back earlier, but I am on my way to the pub now. I got it, but Carter was being very ornery earlier."

"It's okay," Dario replied hearing the anxiety in his sister's voice. "Like I said I only wanted to make sure…"

Grabbing her purse to look for her keys, Gabi assured her brother, "Don't worry. We got the menu. I believe Caroline will make an appearance in the Brady Pub kitchen for at least one of the items on your list."

Dario was excited to hear that news. "Awesome."

Unable to find her keys, Gabi turned around and headed for the coat rack to see if they were in her coat pocket. She and Carter needed to leave soon. "Carter really misses his uncle. You were the first person he asked about when he woke up this morning for his appointment."

Touched, Dario said, "Aww… I miss him, too. How is everything going? Any updates?"

After finding her keys, Gabi quickly put on her coat as she began to respond to her brother; she knew he wasn't asking about Carter's appointment. "Well, Justin…" Gabi stopped because Carter was not where she left him. She peered into the kitchen in time to see Carter had managed to grab a snack and make a huge mess. "Dario… I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

Hearing the urgency in his sister's voice, Dario figured Carter must have gotten into something. The tone in her voice was very familiar to him now. "Okay. Later… good luck…"

Placing her cell in her coat pocket, Gabi rushed over to Carter before the mess got worse. She sighed before commenting, "We are definitely going to be late now."

* * *

 _Tuesday, January 28th, 2014_

* * *

Rushing into the rear entrance of the Brady Pub, Gabi stopped to catch her breath for a moment even though she was running late. She noted that Andrew was already in the kitchen waiting for her. He had a disappointed look on his face.

Before Gabi could apologize, Andrew shook his head at Gabi as he sarcastically commented, "I'm surprised you have set a new record in how late you are."

"I am so sorry, but…"

Andrew impatiently tilted his head because Gabi stopped herself from saying more. "But what?"

Gabi was about to mention something happened with Carter, but she stopped herself because she didn't want Andrew to know about him. She couldn't handle more judgment from Andrew at this point. He wasn't exactly a friend or a supportive and warm person in general. "I had things I needed to take care of."

"You always have 'things' to take care of," Andrew complained before reminding her, "You also signed up to take over this pub, remember? If it wasn't for me, things wouldn't get done around here. My grandparents' legacy would be dead if you had taken over the pub solo."

"Andrew, I am sorry…" Gabi began to apologize again.

Andrew cut her off though. "Let me make your life easier. I'll buy your half of the business," he offered without a real ounce of sympathy in his tone. "I could get a loan from my parents and pay you upfront."

Gabi was speechless for a moment from the shock of Andrew's offer. Catching her composure and breath finally, Gabi heatedly questioned, "Why are you such a jerk?"

Crossing his arms and tilting his head once more, Andrew argued, "I'm not being a jerk. I am only making sure I keep my family's legacy and my reputation intact. You may not care what others think, but I do. I worked too hard to become an embarrassment ag…" He stopped himself from saying too much and realized he was letting his emotions get ahead of him.

Trying her best not to let Andrew's words get to her, Gabi placed her hands on her hips. "Why don't you care what I think? You claim to care what others think; why am _I_ not important? I won't let this happen. I'm _not_ selling."

Gabi's phone suddenly made a sound. She received a text message from Carter's babysitter. The babysitter had an emergency and needed to leave as soon as possible.

"And once again you're distracted," Andrew noted aloud.

Gabi put her hand up and said, "I need five minutes." Not giving Andrew a chance to respond, she walked outside and quickly dialed Nicholas's number. As soon as he picked up, she said, "Nicholas, I need you to pick up Carter now."

Annoyed, Nicholas inquired, "What is it this time?"

Impatient, Gabi answered, "Nicholas, I don't really have time to go into details. I need an answer. Can you do this or not?"

"Fine. I'll go get Carter…"

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

With the mess cleaned, Gabi put Carter's light jacket on before responding to Andrew's text. After pressing send, Gabi received a text from Justin Kiriakis. It read: "The meeting has been set for Friday at 11:00am."

Gabi rolled her eyes. She was annoyed the meeting was right before the wedding. She replied: "Did you try to move it to next week?"

Justin quickly shot back: "I tried, but I had no luck. Furthermore, I recommend you stay away from the cemetery."

Gabi reread Justin's text several times. Each time she read it, the more frustrated she became. She wasn't in the mood to continue this text conversation with Justin, so she sent: "I will ttyl." Putting her phone away, she turned to Carter and mentally questioned what she should do.

* * *

 _Friday, December 12th, 2014_

* * *

At the apartment Gabi shared with Nicholas, Gabi decided to throw an unofficial engagement party for Abby and Josh. She smiled as she brought out more snacks for everyone to enjoy. After placing the tray in the middle of all her friends who came, she sat next to Dario and asked, "Where's Nicholas?"

Will, who sat next to Chad, shared in a playful tone, "Carter had to go number one!"

Chad laughed as he added, "He grabbed Nicholas's hand and rushed him to the bathroom."

Gabi slumped a tad as she blew the hair out of her face. "We have been potty-training, and it's been an adventure and a struggle. He's finally getting the hang of it."

Josh leaned into Abby and playfully commented, "We still have a while before we're changing diapers, right?"

Abby hit Josh's arm and said, "Don't even joke about stuff like that…" She couldn't imagine having kids at this point in their lives.

"It will be here before you know it," Melanie warned Abby and Josh.

Shrugging his shoulders, Nathan claimed, "It's not so bad. You get sleep eventually, and it definitely helps when you have extended family who live close to watch the baby."

As the group laughed, Chelsea looked to Cameron as she shook her cup causing the ice to make a clanging noise. Cameron glanced at her cup for a moment before Chelsea released, "Please…"

Deciding to be a nice friend, Cameron took Chelsea's nearly empty cup and went into the kitchen to get her a refill.

"I want some more to drink, too," Will announced. He pulled himself up to join Cameron in the kitchen when suddenly a yell came from the bathroom.

Nicholas stomped out of the bathroom and headed to his and Gabi's bedroom. "Fuck this," he said under his breath – though it was loud enough for everyone else to hear.

When Gabi stood up, Dario grabbed her hand and stood up as well after letting go of Sonny's hand. "I'll help Carter clean up in the bathroom," he volunteered.

Gabi thanked her brother before going into her bedroom to check on Nicholas. As soon as she closed the door, she turned around and noted that the closet light was the only light on. She flipped the switch for the bedroom light and asked, "What happened?"

Now shoeless and without pants, Nicholas had a towel as he briskly wiped his legs trying not to gag. "I turned on the water so Carter could wash his hand with warm water after he finished peeing. Carter then turned around and began to pee all over my pants and shoes!"

A small smile fell on Gabi's face as she approached Nicholas. She wanted to laugh, but she could see how upset her boyfriend was. "Nicholas…"

"I didn't sign up for this," Nicholas interrupted Gabi. "I love you, but I'm not sure I want to be a father. You were so afraid that another guy would get in the way of our relationship after you found out what happened between Sonny and me… I guess in a way it still happened with Carter getting between us…"

Closing his eyes, Nicholas dropped his head realizing he was getting ahead of himself. "I've tried so hard, but I need my space now to figure things out." Before Gabi could respond, he declared, "I'm moving out. I'll let you and Carter stay here, so you have a place to live."

The smile was now gone. "Nicholas… let's talk about this."

Taking off his shirt and throwing it in the pile with the shoes and pants he was wearing earlier, Nicholas shook his head. His mind was made up. "Return to the party. I'll stay in here and pack some of my things and head out after everyone is gone."

Hurt, Gabi remained silent. She couldn't believe this was happening.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

Gabi made sure Carter was in his car seat securely before getting in the driver's seat. She started the car and, with the AC on full blast, checked her mirrors to make sure no one was behind her. As she looked in the rearview mirror, she noticed Carter was now singing to himself. Turning around, she sighed and told her son, "We are going to have a great picnic with daddy no matter what."

As Gabi received another text message from Andrew, Carter began to look around the car. "Where is the food for the picnic?"

With a smile, Gabi put her phone away and announced, "The food is being delivered."

* * *

 _Monday, March 23rd, 2015_

* * *

"Nicholas…" Gabi sighed in relief because she finally got Nicholas on the phone. She sat in the living room of her apartment alone.

"Hey…"

Gabi wanted to tread carefully, but she also needed answers. "Nicholas, I want to know if you're ever coming back to me and Carter?" It had been over three months since he left.

"Gabi, I can't really talk now."

Fearing Nicholas would hang up on her, Gabi quickly stated, "That's fine because I'd rather talk to you tonight – in person. Please meet me at the pub after closing time. If you decide not to show up, I'll know what that means."

Gabi waited for a response, but there was only silence until she heard a click. Nicholas ended the call. She wondered if Nicholas would show up at the pub.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Later that evening, after the pub had closed, Gabi sat in the Brady Pub waiting for Nicholas. Carter sat upon her lap snuggled against her chest when he suddenly began to get fussy. She pushed the home button on her phone and glanced at the time realizing it was rather late. Kissing the top of Carter's head, she said, "It's almost bedtime, little stinker." A tear fell down her face as she realized Nicholas wasn't showing up.

Grabbing her phone, she told Siri to call Nicholas's cell. It rang and rang until voicemail picked up. When it was time for her to leave a message, she knew what she needed to say. "Goodbye Nicholas… Goodbye." As she wiped her face, Gabi suddenly heard footsteps behind her.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

Gabi and Carter arrived to the cemetery at St. Luke's. Holding her son's hand, she led Carter to a fairly new tombstone. With a determined smile, she whispered, "No one is going to keep us from your daddy." Unfolding a large striped blanket and placing it on the well-manicured ground in front of the tombstone, Gabi helped Carter sit down before handing him a few snacks from his bag to tide him over since the food hadn't arrived yet.

"Thank you, Mama." Carter immediately began to chow down on his fruit snacks.

Turning her attention to the tombstone, Gabi claimed, "We're going to have daddy's favorite today." She placed her hand on the name and began to trace it with her fingers. "Hey, T. Carter and I decided we wanted to come see you today. We miss you. The wedding is this weekend, and I know everyone wishes you could be there…"

Gabi stopped when she heard footsteps approaching. She glanced towards them hoping it wasn't trouble. Fortunately, it was the food delivery. "Hey Andrew."

"Hey…" Andrew released through a smile. He handed the bag of food to Gabi before Carter jumped up to give him a hug. "Hey little stinker."

Gabi began to set out the food and commented, "You brought more than enough."

Andrew kneeled down and helped Gabi unpack everything. "My grandma forced me out of the kitchen and overdid it a bit," he shared before asking, "Is it okay if I join you for a bit?" He really didn't know what he was doing here.

Gabi leaned forward and patted on the striped blanket so Andrew would sit next to her. "Sure," she answered verbally though a genuine smile.


	2. Andrew Donovan

**Chapter 2: Andrew Donovan – Tuesday, September 13th, 2016**

 **N** oting the water had begun to boil, Andrew lowered his head to check the burner on the stove top in the kitchen of the Brady Pub. He wanted to make sure everything tasted perfectly. With everything set, he moved over to the midnight black granite counter and began to chop some potatoes. He began to whistle a happy tune.

Caroline entered the kitchen and smiled when she noticed Andrew was dancing in place. Clearing her throat, she leaned against the doorpost and announced, "Kristen Blake is here to pick up an order."

With the knife still in his hand, Andrew stopped dancing, turned around, and seriously questioned, "Grandma, what are you doing in here? You retired almost three years ago. Where's Lisa?" He moved past the fact that his grandmother caught him in a very good mood.

Remaining near the door, Caroline ignored most of Andrew's questions and shared, "Lisa is out front. She told me you are making a picnic lunch for Gabi and Carter. You should deliver it to her personally. I can cover you for an hour."

Andrew knew his grandmother well. He knew she would continue to push her idea even though he didn't want her working for him. "How about this?" he started. "I still need to finish cooking, so I will decide when I am done."

Caroline agreed to Andrew's terms and returned to the other reason she entered the kitchen. "Where is Kristen's order?" Andrew pointed to it – the order was already packaged. Caroline grabbed the order and teased, "I will be back so I can catch you dancing and whistling again," before leaving to the front of the pub.

* * *

 _Monday, October 28th, 2013_

* * *

Sitting with Caroline in the now empty Brady Pub, Andrew tapped the hardwood table with his fingers. They were waiting on the arrival of Gabi, who was running late. When his phone sounded, Andrew sighed with relief. He needed a distraction.

Unfortunately, the text message was from Kim, Andrew's pushy mother. He read the text message and informed Caroline, "Mom wants to know what's happening with Gabi. I don't think she will like it if I tell her I have yet to meet my currently silent partner."

Caroline leaned her head on her hand for a moment as she thought of her eldest daughter. "I told your mom to stay away so you could meet Gabi for the first time by yourself," she confessed.

Deciding to text his mother back later, Andrew put his phone away and questioned, "Why does she have such a problem with Gabi?"

Caroline showed some uncertainty on her face, but she still attempted to provide an answer. "When I needed help with the pub after my stroke, Kim commented that Gabi was a good worker, so it doesn't completely make sense to me. I think your mother doesn't trust Gabi because she doesn't really know her. I hope you won't make the same mistake."

So far, the fact that he hadn't met Gabi yet was already leaving a bad taste in Andrew's mouth. Caroline seemed to really like Gabi, but Gabi hadn't given him a good reason to feel the same. She was a no-show at Billie and Frankie's wedding, and now it seemed she would do it again today.

Just then, a frazzled Gabi entered the pub and immediately apologized. "I am so very sorry for being late."

Caroline stood up while Andrew deliberately remained seated. She looked to her grandson and Gabi and introduced them. "Gabi, this is my grandson, Andrew. Andrew, this is Gabi Hernandez." After Andrew and Gabi traded looks, she decided, "I'll let you two have some time to get to know one another. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

A couple of minutes of awkward silence followed Caroline's abrupt exit. Attempting to escape the discomfort, Gabi spoke to spark a conversation with the stranger across from her. She didn't know what to think about working with Andrew when Caroline promised the entire pub to her originally, but she chose to make the best of the situation. "Your grandmother truly is an awesome lady. She has really helped me through a lot and has opened so many opportunities to me. She really has been great."

Andrew sat back in his chair and studied Gabi for a moment. He rubbed his chin and pursed his lips for a while longer before finally stating, "I wonder if my grandma has been _too great_ considering you were late and didn't show up to the wedding."

Gabi realized her absence and tardiness hadn't left a good first impression in Andrew's mind. Showing she was a bit overwhelmed on her face, she quickly apologized once more for her tardiness. "I am so sorry. Something came up." Trying to move the conversation along, she asked, "So tell me about you… where did you grow up again? What do you…"

"It's probably important we skip this part of the conversation," Andrew impatiently interrupted. "Those questions don't really matter right now because my grandma is retiring soon. I want to make sure we have everything together on the future of the pub for the grand reopening on New Year's Eve."

Andrew's eyes intently watched Gabi, and she wasn't sure how to feel about it. He really wanted to get straight to business. Pulling her head back, she replied with some confusion, "I didn't know there would be a reopening…"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Andrew wasn't in the mood to explain the decision. Instead, he declared, "We'll shut down the pub for a couple of weeks for the holidays and work hard to make some updates to the menu and other things."

Gabi did not like Andrew's plans and did not appreciate him making them sound so concrete. Realizing she needed to speak up before she lost any say on the decisions on the pub, she leaned forward on the table and returned the same intense look Andrew was giving her. After placing her hand on the table, she stated, "I am not okay with this because I have a lot of family traditions to keep during the holidays." This was her first Christmas holiday back with the family as well as for Carter.

Andrew didn't honestly care. With a blank expression upon his face, he shrugged his shoulders as he responded, "I don't really need you to pull this off, but if you have any ideas on what you want for the pub, then I have no reason to listen to you if you don't help."

Gabi pulled back and slightly threw herself against the back of her chair before giving him a look of disdain. She could not believe his attitude. Andrew was definitely not making a great first impression either. She was not amused.

* * *

 _Tuesday, December 31st, 2013_

* * *

It was New Year's Eve, and the Brady Pub was packed for the grand reopening under the new ownership and management of Andrew and Gabi. Kim stood next to her son as they took in the crowd of very happy customers. "Eve and Jeannie apologize for not being able to come."

Andrew wasn't one to let something like that bring him down, but he was still curious. "What are they doing?"

Kim studied her son and noted he was almost distracted by his success. "Eve had a gig, and Jeannie already made plans with her girlfriend in New York."

Scratching the side of his head, Andrew commented, "It's weird that Jeannie is open about that now."

Kim slightly shrugged her shoulders and shared, "Will's coming out seemed to open that dialogue. She was worried what the family would think."

Andrew nodded his head to let his mother know he heard her as he studied the crowd. He spotted Chad sitting with Dario and Sonny and began to wonder where Will went, but he quickly became distracted by a certain customer next to them. The customer wasn't liking their food; Andrew heard her complain about how her food was a bit burned. Turning to his mother, he said, "I'll be right back. I need to check on the kitchen."

Kim looked around wondering what caught Andrew's attention. "I'll see how Ma is doing upstairs," she decided as her son walked off.

Heading into the kitchen, Andrew was not happy with what – who he found cooking. "Will, what are you doing back here?"

Will nearly jumped when he realized Andrew caught him back there. For a split second he forgot that Andrew owned the pub now with Gabi, but his memory came back. Fortunately, he quickly shared, "Gabi needed to check on something, so I am covering for her." Andrew was supposed to stay out front.

Showing he was not amused by Will's answer, Andrew moved closer and impatiently asked, "Do you even know what you're doing?" He stepped in Will's way and turned down one of the burners on the stove.

Will gave Andrew a disgruntled look. "I have helped great-grandma plenty of times."

Andrew realized he offended Will and apologized in his own way. "I should not blame you because this isn't your job anymore. Gabi and I aren't elderly women who need someone to help take care of us. Gabi should know better than to ask you…" He stopped himself because he didn't want Will to know he knew about his memory issues. He overheard a few conversations before tonight.

Will noted Andrew was stressed and encouraged, "Everything is going well tonight."

"But it's not perfect," Andrew argued, "…and it's Gabi's fault. Where is she anyway?"

Looking towards the rear exit, Will didn't want to tell Andrew. Unfortunately, Andrew caught on and headed out back to find Gabi as he told his second-cousin, "Don't burn the food again!"

Behind the Brady Pub outside, Andrew found Gabi on the phone with Nicholas. He heard her say, "Thanks for checking in on Carter. I will see you soon."

Cutting off her phone conversation, Andrew reminded Gabi, "This is your kitchen shift – not Will's." He gave her a disappointed look as he asked, "Are you really up for this?"

Gabi quickly told Nicholas goodbye before turning to face Andrew. "Of course I am."

Andrew tensed up because he didn't believe Gabi. "Maybe you should leave your boyfriend alone for one moment and stay in the kitchen."

Before any other words could be exchanged, Caroline came out back and asked, "Is this going to work – the two of you – together?" She headed downstairs to check on them after her daughter came upstairs.

Gabi ignored Andrew and answered, "Yes. I am going back to the kitchen."

Andrew tried to follow Gabi inside, but Caroline stopped him. "Andrew, you need to relax and cut Gabi some slack because she's got a lot going on."

With his head down, Andrew inhaled deeply. "She's not the only one," he began to complain.

Giving her grandson an understanding look, Caroline said, "I know you had a lot to deal with in the past and want to prove yourself, but…"

"Don't," Andrew cut Caroline off. He didn't want her to say any more about what happened before he came to Salem. "I've dealt with all that already. I'm only looking forward, grandma. I just can't afford to let anyone bring me down anymore. I can't let anyone or anything distract me from what I want."

Noting a growing tension in Andrew, Caroline suggested, "You should take some time to cool off before you go back in there. You don't want to ruin a clearly successful night for you and Gabi."

Andrew tried to smile for his grandmother but struggled. "I'd like some time outside to breathe," he exhaled.

Pleased, Caroline headed inside leaving Andrew alone.

Andrew took some time and wondered what Gabi had on her plate. After a few minutes, he shook his head and whispered to himself, "I don't have time to worry about anyone else. I have to take care of myself." He didn't want to fall in the same trap of caring too much.

Heading inside, Andrew heard Will ask Gabi, "How's Carter?"

Gabi, who stood at the stove, sighed, "Carter is fine, though I feel bad for leaving him with Justin and Adrienne for the night, so he wouldn't distract me from the reopening." She sent Nicholas to check in on Carter for her, and he called to give her an update.

Andrew remained out of sight as he wondered who Carter was. He realized he heard that name several times and realized he had no clue who this Carter was. Shaking his head, he mentally reminded himself, "Don't get distracted… you don't have time for anyone else."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

Returning to the kitchen, Caroline watched Andrew in silence for a moment before commenting, "You have come a long way since you and Gabi took over the pub." She walked closer and took control on cooking to show she still had it in her. "How did Carter's appointment go?"

Andrew stepped back and watched his grandmother. "Everything went well with the check-up," he answered before attempting to take over on the cooking again.

Caroline pointed towards the door. "Out. Help in front because things are picking up." When Andrew tried to take control another time, she quickly slapped his hand and repeated, "Out!"

"Grandma…"

"Hush. I've missed this, and you need to take a break from the kitchen," Caroline directed before adding, "I also need some practice for this weekend."

Giving in, Andrew sighed before heading out to the front to see what Lisa needed.

* * *

 _Monday, December 1st, 2014_

* * *

After collecting the trash at the pub, Andrew headed out back to dispose of it. He froze in place once he heard two voices going at it. Peering the corner carefully, he spied Gabi and Nicholas arguing tensely.

"I'm not in the mood to pick up Carter by myself," Nicholas complained. "How long are you going to be?"

Gabi placed her hands on her hips and shared, "I need you to do this because Dario and Sonny have plans, and they really need this time together. I am not leaving Andrew alone to man the pub." She did not understand why Nicholas had such a bad attitude when she told him before how she needed to prove to Andrew she was in this for good and really wanted to help the Brady Pub succeed.

Shaking his head and throwing his hands in the air, Nicholas frustratingly stated, "Well, maybe you're taking too much on then."

"What is the issue here?" Gabi questioned point-blank.

Continuing to shake his head disapprovingly, Nicholas shared, "Maybe you should not have taken in someone else's baby and changed our lives. Carter changed everything, and he's not even our son."

Hurt, Gabi began to shake her head at Nicholas as she argued, "He is _our_ son… he is _my_ son."

"Not biologically," Nicholas countered rather quickly. "You did not have to adopt him after the way D.H.S. pushed him on you last year."

Raising her voice, Gabi wasn't sure she could take this fight anymore. "Do you want to do this anymore?"

When Nicholas heard Gabi's question and the tone of her voice, he quickly calmed down. "Gabi, I'm sorry," he swiftly released before explaining, "I've just had a long day. I'll pick up Carter and come back to pick you up when you're ready."

As Gabi appeared to calm down as well, Andrew quickly left before either figured out he had witnessed the entire exchange.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

Chad and Dario entered the Brady Pub and found Andrew cheerfully standing behind the bar. "Someone is having a good day," Chad pointed out making note of Andrew's smile.

Realizing he had dazed off, Andrew recomposed himself and claimed, "I'm just taking care of the customers."

Leaning on the bar, Dario asked, "Has Gabi stopped by yet? I just talked to her not too long ago. She said she was heading over."

Remembering how Caroline encouraged him to deliver the meal, Andrew said, "Actually, I need to send her a text." He pulled out his phone and told Gabi that he was going to deliver the food to the cemetery when it was done. He figured she may need the extra time to get Carter ready. After the text was sent, he returned his attention to Chad and Dario. "So what do you feel like eating today?"

Chad answered first, "I'll take the fish tacos and a sprite please."

"Make that two," Dario said right after Chad.

Andrew nodded his head and put their order in while asking, "How's Will, Chad?"

A huge smile fell on Chad's face as he shared, "Will is returning from New York today with Safiya. I cannot wait to see him again. I'm excited to see Safiya as well, but Will… I am definitely missing him."

"How long has it been?"

"It's been a couple weeks," Chad answered Andrew.

* * *

 _Monday, March 23rd, 2015_

* * *

Believing he was alone, Andrew entered the front of the pub to hear Gabi leaving Nicholas a goodbye voicemail. He couldn't believe this was happening to Gabi and Carter and shook his head. After she had finished, Andrew walked over and noted the distraught look on her face. "It's a shame you have to say goodbye."

Tears fell down Gabi's face. She didn't bother looking at Andrew because she wanted to repress the pain she was feeling in this moment. "I didn't know you were in the kitchen."

Andrew took a seat across from Gabi and pulled out a tissue for her to dry her face. "I came back down to check on everything for tomorrow. Are you going to be okay?"

The answer was no in Gabi's mind, but she did not feel comfortable having this conversation with Andrew. Though she had noticed a slight change in him recently, they weren't exactly friends. "I'll be fine. It's a part of life – something I'm used to."

"Disappointment happens in all of our lives unfortunately," Andrew commented unsure of what to say. Reflecting on his past, he knew he wanted to help.

Gabi smirked at Andrew and shook her head. "For some reason, I can't really see you letting things like this happen to you," she admitted. "You want perfection, and you would never accept anything less than."

Andrew looked down shamefully realizing there was so much Gabi didn't know about him. "Gabi, I'm really sorry about making this so hard for you. There's a lot I didn't know about you… honestly, I didn't want to know, but from what I do know now I can see that you are someone who fights to survive. You took in Carter right before you had to start dealing with a perfectionist like me to make a living. You deserve a break. You deserve a moment of peace."

Surprised to hear this come from Andrew, Gabi wasn't sure what to say at first. She had never really seen this side of him before. "Thanks for the apology, but I don't really think a break will come. I have to keep living and doing to make sure my son gets what he needs." Thoughts of T's death entered her mind. With Nicholas gone, Carter definitely didn't have a father figure anymore. Kinsey had abandoned him years back, so she knew she couldn't walk away or let this bring her down.

Andrew made eye contact with Gabi and promised, "I'm going to try my best not to add stress in your life. I will do what I must to make things easier – even if it's just a tiny bit."

Hoping that Andrew's words weren't empty, Gabi said, "That would be greatly appreciated." She looked to Carter and noticed he was out. "This poor guy has had a long day."

Andrew studied Carter for a moment before offering, "You two can have the extra bedroom upstairs if you need it. I don't mind sharing space with the two of you."

This was getting a bit weird. Andrew was being so nice. "Thanks… We'll stay the night, but I don't think it would be good if we stayed longer than that."

"Whatever you want," Andrew stated.

* * *

 _Tuesday, April 28th, 2015_

* * *

Entering the kitchen, Andrew found Gabi at the stove cooking something he was certain was not on the menu. "Did you decide to start early today?"

Gabi stirred what she had in the sauce pan as she announced, "I'm experimenting with a new recipe."

"I want to try it," Andrew eagerly decided as he moved closer.

With a nervous look, Gabi stopped stirring and said, "I'm not sure if it's ready."

"Come on…" Andrew playfully begged.

Giving in, Gabi took the wooden spoon in her hands and scooped up a bit of her concoction. "It's hot," she warned as she moved the spoon towards Andrew's mouth.

Andrew tasted the small bit that Gabi gave him. "Wow… that's really good. Have you tried it?"

"No."

"You've got to try it then." Andrew took the wooden spoon and moved in closer to feed it to Gabi. As soon as Gabi tried it, Andrew leaned forward and almost kissed Gabi. Realizing what was about to happen, he quickly apologized. "Sorry."

Gabi noted that Andrew's face had turned a new shade of red. She wondered if hers had done the same. "It is good," she commented trying to escape the sudden heat in the room. "Do you think we have room for it on our menu?"

Andrew nodded his head, "We'll make room for it."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

With Gabi's order packed up and in her hand, Caroline walked over and gave it to Andrew. "You should head out so Gabi and Carter aren't waiting too long," she directed her grandson. "I cooked a few extras."

Andrew thanked his grandmother and was about to head out when his cousin Sami suddenly rushed in. She made a beeline to the table where Chad and Dario were now eating. "Chad, I've been looking for you."

As Chad traded a curious look with Dario, he questioned, "You were? Why?"

Sami caught up with her breathing and shared, "I just got a strange visit, and I am really worried."

Andrew was curious to find out what was happening, but he knew he needed to get out of there because Gabi was waiting for him. As he left the pub to meet with Gabi and Carter at the cemetery, he hoped everything was okay.


	3. Samantha DiMera

**Chapter 3: Samantha DiMera – Tuesday, September 13th, 2016**

 **D** iscussing business on the phone from home, Sami sat on the couch in the main room watching Johnny, who did not attend school since he complained he still had a headache after being sick the last few days, do some of his school work on his father's desk in front of her. Since he was feeling better later in the day, Sami figured he could focus on some of the makeup work his school provided when she dropped off Allie.

"If you need me, call me no matter what… I know you've got this covered. I will see you in the office bright and early tomorrow morning," Sami stated before ending the call. She sighed because she was feeling a bit stressed due to missing another day in the office. She really needed to be there, but she also wanted to make sure Johnny was okay. She wanted him to know she would always be there – no matter what.

Putting her phone away, Sami pulled herself from the white and purple loveseat to join Johnny at the desk to make sure he was actually doing his work and not doodling. "What's going on here?" she questioned as she placed her hand on top of his shaggy hair. She loved that he still didn't mind her doting on him, but she knew that would all change soon. Johnny was now a pre-teen, on the cusp of teenage angst. Soon he would be embarrassed to be seen with her and would want her to keep her distance if she ever took him shopping or to the movies with friends. She wasn't sure if she was ready to go through this again.

When Johnny didn't answer, Sami moved her hand to his forehead to make sure he didn't have a fever again. "How are you feeling?"

With Sami's hand over his eyes, Johnny couldn't ignore his mother's questions. "I'm feeling a lot better, but I really miss dad."

It really bothered Sami how down her children were without EJ. Even though she and EJ made the DiMera mansion more of a home for their family by redecorating it among other things, it was really hard not noticing how EJ's absence negatively impacted the atmosphere. When she dropped Sydney off at school, her daughter had shared the same sentiment as Johnny. "I miss him as well," she lamented before suggesting, "Maybe we should take a break from homework and see what your baby brother is up to…"

"Julian is right here," Mary announced as she entered the room holding EJ and Sami's youngest. "He just woke up from his nap."

Sami walked over and took Julian from Mary and noted the huge smile on his face – he was so happy. "Hey there, cutie," she released before giving him big kisses on his soft chubby cheeks. She couldn't help but get a bit teary eyed because of how happy he was. "You must've had a great nap."

* * *

 _Tuesday, July 1st, 2014_

* * *

"Just one more push…" Nathan directed Sami in one of the delivery rooms at Salem University Hospital. "I can see the baby's head."

Sami grunted as she pushed as hard as she could until she could hear the cries of a baby. Through all the pain, she called out and asked, "Is everything… is everything okay?"

After Maxine helped clean the baby, Nathan handed Sami her son reflecting on the fact that he would experience this same feeling soon. "Say hello to your baby boy," he said through a smile upon his face before joining Maxine to continue to help Sami through the process of childbirth.

Sami eyed her new son and began to take in how beautiful he was. She couldn't believe how blessed she was again.

Marlena and Susan moved behind EJ so they could get a glimpse of their new grandson as EJ took in the newest addition to his and Sami's family. "He's beautiful," EJ released in a proud whisper.

Sami beamed at EJ as she agreed before turning her attention to her mother and Susan. "I'd like to introduce to you Julian Xavier DiMera."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

On the loveseat once more, Sami had Julian on her lap as they played one of his favorite games, Tozzle, when her iPad suddenly began to ring. Since it was next to his mother, Johnny quickly rushed over and grabbed it to see who was calling via FaceTime. "It's Will," he spiritedly declared.

As Sami moved so she and Julian could view the screen as well, Johnny pushed the accept button before they lost Will. They all greeted him when he popped up on the iPad. "Hey everyone!" Will released a bit surprised to see everyone at once.

Sami noted that Will was walking while talking with them. "Where are you? It looks crowded."

"It is," Will confirmed. He looked up from his phone screen now and then to make sure he didn't bump into anyone or anything as he walked. "Safiya and I just arrived to the airport to head home," he revealed before moving his phone so his family could see she was with him. "Everyone say hi to Safiya!"

"Hi everyone!" Safiya waved to Will's phone as everyone greeted her.

When Will returned to the screen to his face, he stated, "I called because I wanted to see your faces. I'm guessing Allie and Sydney are in school?"

Sami adjusted Julian so he could look at his brother since Johnny moved the iPad away from them. She was so proud of all the accomplishments Will had made over the years. "Yes. Johnny didn't go again today. Allie and Sydney will be so happy to see you when you arrive. You should know your brothers and sisters have worked hard on a gift for you."

Will grinned and raised his eyebrows as he excitedly replied, "I cannot wait to see it. I promise when I get back, we'll have some sibling time for sure."

Johnny moved the iPad down so he could tell his brother something. "I changed my room around. I want to show it to you." Turning his attention to his mom, he asked, "Can I show Will my room now?"

Sami nodded her head in agreement remembering the artwork Johnny hung up in his room. She knew Will would be impressed by his brother's latest pieces. "Make sure you don't show him the surprise yet."

"Okay." Johnny rushed upstairs with the iPad.

Alone with her youngest now, Sami smiled and commented, "It was so great to see your big brother, wasn't it? He was smiling as big as you are now." Giving him a kiss on his right cheek, she then asked, "What are we going to do now, Julian?"

"Eat cookies," Julian suggested causing Sami to laugh.

Before Sami could agree, the doorbell abruptly rang. "I wonder who that could be," Sami wondered aloud before pulling herself and Julian off the couch. Taking his hand, she led him to the door to answer it. She couldn't believe who was on the other side. "Peter, what are you doing here?"

Noting the suspicious look on Sami's face, Peter asked, "Can I come in?"

Sami picked up Julian and held him close. "You have less than five minutes." She cautiously moved out of the way to let Peter inside. "If this is business related, we can talk when I am in the office again tomorrow. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be in the office? Did you leave early?"

Peter adjusted the sleeves of his button-up and said, "Delphi and I had some things we needed to take care of."

Peter's response only made Sami more suspicious. "Well, you have four minutes left to say whatever it is you came to say."

With his hands up, Peter finally entered the mansion claiming, "I know I haven't made life easy for you or your family, but I have some information you need to know."

Sami noticed Peter's voice had an intense quality as he spoke. She wondered what he had to say to her.

* * *

 _Wednesday, July 30th, 2014_

* * *

It was the night of EJ and Sami's third anniversary, and Sami and EJ had plans to celebrate. Thankfully, Will and Chad agreed to watch the kids for the night. "We really do appreciate you doing this," EJ stated as he patted Chad and Will on the back at the same time. Though there was still some tension between him and his brother, he was glad they had made some headway in building trust in their relationship. Turning to his wife, he asked, "Are you almost ready, Samantha?"

As Sami eagerly nodded her head, Chad shared, "Sonny and Dario may come over later to help as well – not that Will and I can't handle the kids." He knew that this was a big deal for Sami and EJ to leave since security wasn't up to par at the moment.

Sami grabbed her purse and sighed, "Well, I know EJ has been dying to take me out since Julian was born. I can't believe this is the first time I will be away from him for the night."

Walking to Sami's side, EJ placed his arm over her shoulders and promised, "You can do this." He kissed her on the forehead to help calm her a bit.

"Don't worry, mom. Nothing will happen," Will encouraged Sami as he and Chad followed EJ and Sami into the foyer.

Sami knew she could trust Chad and Will, but she still shared, "Remember to call if anything happens."

"Everything will be fine," Will repeated when the doorbell rang.

Chad glanced at the time on his phone. "I guess Dario and Sonny decided not to watch a movie before coming here."

Sami sighed apprehensively. She was aware of Sonny's issues, and while she hoped he was doing better, she believed she could get a good read on Sonny's state of mind before leaving with EJ. "Great. That will give EJ and me a chance to thank them as well."

When EJ opened the door, all four were surprised to see Chad had assumed wrong. Peter and Kristen Blake stood on the other side. "What the hell?"

Kristen smiled a big grin as she purposely stepped in front of her brother. She greeted everyone before announcing, "Peter and I are here because we've decided to move to Salem permanently for business and family."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

After Peter left, Sami briskly closed the front door while still holding Julian. She was in shock and couldn't believe the news she just received. Heading into the main room, she grabbed her phone as she told her youngest, "Mommy will be right back." She unlocked her phone and went through her call list to make a phone call as she headed up the stairs to leave Julian with Mary and tell Johnny bye. "Please pick up…" she exhaled with grave concern.

* * *

 _Monday, December 1st, 2014_

* * *

In a conference room at DiMera Enterprises, Sami, EJ, Dario, Chad, Lexie, and a few others gathered together for their monthly meeting to discuss what they had to report for their next quarterly investors' meeting. Chad and Dario had the floor to discuss the progress of the music side of business. "The Chill is growing even more," Dario shared turning to Chad to see if he wanted to dive into specifics yet.

Chad gave Dario a look because he knew Dario had other things on his mind. Turning his attention to the others, he added, "Will and Safiya are doing great, and we've had other bands and artists reach out to schedule studio sessions as well as ask us to perform at The Chill as they travel around on tours."

EJ was very pleased to hear good news, but before he could verbally congratulate his brother and Dario on their progress, the conference room doors suddenly opened. Susan, Edmund, and Jade, EJ's newfound younger sister, entered the room. "What on earth is this about?" EJ questioned as he stood up.

Susan rushed to her son's side as she explained, "Elvis, we are here because we are not leaving Salem even though you tried to force us to return to England! Kristen and Peter's presence in Salem is no good for you and the family. Them working for you is a bad, bad, bad thing. Even if you don't want it, I will protect you from that mean, mean, mean woman and her evil, evil, evil brother."

As everyone else reacted in the room, Jade showed she was surprised by this news as well. She had only followed her mother there because she thought they were saying goodbye to everyone. "Wait. Does this mean we are staying in Salem longer?"

Ignoring his sister's question, EJ tried to hide his embarrassment from the scene his mother just made. "Mother, I have everything covered. You need to stop doing this because things will turn ugly if you keep causing problems."

Offended, Susan maintained, "I won't let anything happen to you. I can't lose you for good this time."

EJ's embarrassment soon turned into impatience, but he managed to keep himself calm. "We have everything under control here," he repeated. "You should return to England."

Before Susan could respond, Edmund quickly grabbed his wife's arm after noting the facial expressions of everyone else in the room. "Susan, maybe we should talk to Elvis about this later."

Susan knew EJ wasn't in the right place to talk about this, but she did not hide her disappointment. Keeping her focus on her son, she shook her head and declared, "You're making a huge mistake."

Suddenly feeling anxious, Sami wondered if things would always be chaotic and unsafe for them. She was tired of this back and forth.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

After making sure the Johnny and Julian were taken care of, Sami rushed inside the pub as soon as she got there. She found Chad and Dario sitting at a table eating and divulged, "Chad, I've been looking for you."

Chad traded a curious look with Dario before questioning, "You were? Why?"

With her hand on her chest, Sami calmed her breathing before sharing, "I just got a strange visit, and I'm really worried."

As Andrew left the pub, Caroline walked over and nervously asked, "What's going on?"

Sami took another deep breath before saying, "I tried to get in touch with EJ because Peter came to the house with news about my father."

Confusion covered Caroline's face because she didn't know why Peter would have anything to say about Roman. "What did he say? Roman is fine in Germany, where he's lived the past two years."

Sami looked straight to her grandmother knowing she wasn't going to like what she had to share. "According to Peter, dad's not in Germany. He hasn't been for a while."

"Where has he been?" Dario asked immediately.

"He's been in Egypt for the last few months but has recently gone missing…"


	4. Jackson Kiriakis, Part 1

**Chapter 4: Jackson Kiriakis, Part 1 – Tuesday, September 13th, 2016**

 **R** eleasing a yawn, Sonny stood in one of the waiting rooms at the hospital pouring a cup of coffee. He wanted to take this moment alone to clear his head before starting his rounds. Today was a big day, but he wanted to pretend it was just any other day.

Adrienne slowly entered the room with a huge smile on her face and a medium-sized dish in her hands. Clearing her throat, she caught her son's attention and released a small "Surprise," as she slightly raised her eyebrows hoping he would not be too upset with her.

Eyeing the covered dish in his mother's hands, Sonny asked, "What are you doing?" There was a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Adrienne continued to smile as she unabashedly informed her son, "I'm here because I want to make sure you feel celebrated all day."

After rolling his eyes, Sonny exhaled, "I'm glad I made Dario promise not to do the same." He took a quick sip of his coffee before shaking his head at himself. "I knew I should have made you promise as well. I don't want to make today a big deal. I don't want to feel celebrated all day."

Placing the dish on a small coffee table nearby, Adrienne dropped her hands on her hips to show him she did not agree. "It's important to me, your dad, Dario, and the rest of the family," she countered. "It's important to your cousin, JJ, who needs to see that it's possible to beat addiction."

Sonny sighed and placed his coffee cup down. "Mom, you know what happened to me wasn't really addiction – it was mental." Realizing he was coming down on his mother too hard, he hoped to minimize what was happening by playfully mentioning, "JJ can't necessarily see me anyway since he's in rehab."

"Yes, Sonny, I know, but it's still important that he sees – that he knows getting help can work."

To take a moment to calm himself, Sonny turned his attention to his coffee. He added a pack of sugar and began to stir his caffeinated drink deciding he didn't want to argue with his mother. Motioning his head towards the dish on the table, he relaxed and assumed, "I guess those are for me?"

Adrienne nodded her head, picked up the dish, and handed it to Sonny. "I baked homemade cookies for you and your coworkers to share of course."

Allowing a smile to fall on his face, Sonny gave his mother an appreciative nod. "Thanks for doing this. How is JJ anyway?"

Dropping her arms to her sides, Adrienne replied, "JJ is doing well according to Jack and Jen. He's scheduled for a twenty-four-hour release for the wedding this weekend."

Sonny's smile grew. "That's great he got permission to come."

When Cameron entered the room, Adrienne took Sonny's hand and said, "We'll talk more later – we're still on for dinner tonight, right?"

Sonny confirmed it, and Adrienne left after giving Cameron a small wave.

"Sorry for interrupting," Cameron stated as he moved closer to Sonny. "I saw you in here and thought I should remind you that we're meeting with Joselyn and Diego after your shift."

Placing his hand over his forehead suddenly, Sonny released, "I'm glad you did because I almost forgot. Thanks."

"No problem," Cameron stated before adding, "I hope you know there's no reason to stress out about today."

Sonny lifted the medium-sized dish in his hands and with excitement shared, "Well, I have home-baked cookies from my mom so I definitely don't see any reason to be stressed. Do you want one?"

Cameron laughed and answered, "I'd be an idiot to say no. Thanks."

After handing the cookies to Cameron, Sonny took another sip from his coffee cup and thought about how far he had come.

* * *

 _Monday, June 2nd, 2014_

* * *

Sonny's breathing was out of control as he ferociously darted across a beach in Cancun. It was late, and he managed to avoid the crowded areas after escaping his hotel room unnoticed. As he ran, he continued to tell himself, "I need to get away. I just need to get away."

Closing his eyes so he could feel the cool breeze coming off the water, Sonny accidentally tripped and collapsed onto the ground. After a moment, he began to roll around feeling very disoriented. He was confused as to where he was.

A moment later, Dario rushed to Sonny's side and looked him over to see if he was hurt. "Sonny… why did you run away? You scared me when you weren't in the hotel room."

Attempting to downplay the situation, Sonny shared, "The room was out of drinks."

Confusion covered Dario's face. "What?" He shook his head as he began to wonder if something else happened. "Sonny, did you drink everything in our room? Your parents paid for this trip to celebrate you starting your last year of undergrad… This trip is supposed to be a happy time… why are you drinking yourself away on this trip? What's going on?"

"Nothing's happening," Sonny quickly stated. His words were starting to become a bit sluggish. "I'm just trying t' have fun." He began to kiss Dario to distract him from what was happening. Pulling away, he looked into Dario's eyes because Dario seemed to be holding back. He desperately pleaded, "Love me, Dario."

Dario caressed Sonny's cheek and promised, "I will never stop." He hated to see his boyfriend this way and wanted to do whatever to lift him back up and began to kiss him.

Allowing himself to get lost in Dario's touch, Sonny moved his head down and began to kiss Dario's chest through his shirt. "You are so fucking sexy, Dario. I want you to feel good. Let me help you feel good – happy."

Dario tried to get Sonny to look at him again, but Sonny pushed Dario on his back. "Sonny, what are you doing?"

Sonny moved quickly and managed to pull Dario's shorts off. He began to go down on Dario with much fury. Dario tried to stop Sonny because something told him maybe this wasn't right, but Sonny was adamant on continuing. Eventually, Dario gave in because it felt too good. "I love you so much, Sonny…" he released as he ran his hand through his boyfriend's short dark hair.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13_ _th_ _, 2016_

* * *

Brady exited the elevator and found Sonny now standing alone at the nurses' station. He blew out some air before approaching his cousin because they barely interacted anymore. Remembering his promise to Adrienne, he knew he had to do this. "Sonny."

Once he had Sonny's attention, Brady slowly gave him a partial hug – it was rather awkward. "Congrats on another year. I'm proud of you."

Separating from the hug, Sonny thought about the tension between him and Brady. He crossed his arms over his chest and suspiciously questioned, "Mom put you up to this, didn't she?"

An awkward laugh escaped Brady's mouth in an attempt to ease the tension. It was hard not to take offense by Sonny's question even if it was true. "I'm not the only one."

"Who should I expect next?"

"I'm not sure," Brady released half-heartedly while he shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sure Maggie will stop by." He wanted to get out of there now that he had done his part.

Figuring Brady was right, Sonny turned away as he reflected on a past conversation. He debated whether he should bring it up, but he really wanted to make peace with Brady and hoped they could just move past the strain in their relationship. "Remember that time we talked in your office at Titan about how I wanted the family to care about me? I take it all back."

Scratching his temple, Brady bit his tongue and let out another awkward laugh. He was annoyed, but he remembered his promise to Adrienne that he would be sure to help Sonny have a good day. "Well, I have to go. I have lunch plans."

"Thanks for stopping by," Sonny replied to Brady before returning his focus on the paperwork he needed to look over. He struggled though. Even with Brady gone, he couldn't stop thinking about what just happened. Recognizing that Brady only did this as a favor for Adrienne, he realized Brady most likely didn't care that he made it through another year without an emotional and mental breakdown. It was a tad depressing to think about, so he took a deep breath and said, "I just need to keep my distance."

* * *

 _Wednesday, July 30th, 2014_

* * *

Sonny's eyes fluttered as he laid on the nippy bathroom floor. He heard faint sounds in the distance – they were helping him come to after passing out.

"Sonny? Are you here?" Dario walked towards Sonny's bedroom looking for his boyfriend. "Where are you?"

Sonny managed to open his eyes to realize Dario was calling out for him. He wiped his mouth and tried to pull himself up, but he was glued to the tile. Hearing Dario's voice come closer, he called out in a slur, "Dario… I… I'm here…" He moved his head towards the ground and felt a wet substance on his face. He realized he was lying in his own vomit when Dario rushed in.

Noting the mess Sonny was in, Dario grew concerned and began to investigate what he had just walked into. "What's going on, Sonny?" He smelled alcohol in Sonny's breath as Sonny tried to talk to him. "No... no..." Dario's first instinct was to be in denial, but when he noted the contents of his boyfriend's vomit, he began to shake Sonny in frustration and fear. "What is this, Jackson? Tell me what this is about." Continuing to shake his boyfriend, he trembled as he anxiously and heatedly questioned, "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Sonny was still a bit confused as to what had occurred. He looked into Dario's eyes with grave concern as he admitted, "I don't know."

With tears forming in Sonny's eyes, Dario quickly helped Sonny off the floor. He didn't care that his nice clothes were now covered in Sonny's vomit as well. Turning on the shower, he began to take off Sonny's clothes so he could clean him off. "We're not going to the movies tonight, and I'll have to tell Chad and Will we're not coming over to help with the kids."

Sonny could see and hear the disappointment in Dario. He grabbed Dario's hand to make him stop cleaning him so he could talk. "I'm so sorry," he released with great sadness. "I need help. I really need help."

Dario's heart broke as his eyes began to water as well. With Sonny mostly naked, he pulled Sonny under the shower head to clean him off. He didn't care that his own clothes were now getting wet.

Noting Dario was so focused on cleaning him off, Sonny wanted to show his appreciation for how well Dario took care of him. He moved in and tried to kiss Dario, but Dario managed to stop him. Sonny realized he most likely didn't want to kiss him because he threw up. "Sorry," he released as he noted Dario's clothes were now soaked. "Your clothes..." he lamented before attempting to unbutton Dario's slacks.

Holding onto Sonny to make him stop trying to undress him, Dario informed him, "My clothes aren't coming off, Sonny."

Sonny looked into Dario's eyes to question why he wouldn't take off his clothes, but as soon as they made eye contact, he caught on to why. Dario didn't want Sonny to distract him with sex anymore. "Dario, I am so, so sorry. I'm so sorry," he shamefully released as tears escaped his eyes once more.

Dario held Sonny for a moment to comfort him. Kissing the side of his head, he whispered, "I promise I will make sure you get the help you need."

* * *

 _Saturday, September 13th, 2014_

* * *

After being released from inpatient treatment, Justin and Adrienne brought Sonny back to the Kiriakis mansion where Sonny planned on staying to readjust to life in Salem. Patting his son on the back, Justin beamed as he stated, "I'm so happy to have you here."

Even though he was nervous about his release and seeing Dario once more, Sonny held his right pinky as he admitted, "I wish Dario didn't get called into work, but maybe it's good that it happened. I need to keep some distance from Dario, so I can adjust to life in Salem again."

Confused about Dario's sudden call in to work, Adrienne rubbed Sonny's back. "I understand you are nervous, but do you really think keeping your distance from Dario is wise?"

"I have to do things differently so I don't end up in the same place." Sonny sighed heavily as he thought about the plan he put in place to make sure he was successful this time in adjusting to real life again. He agreed to a strict no phone or Internet policy, and though he knew this would be difficult to do, he knew that some space from Dario would help in his adjustment as well. He didn't want to fall into any old traps. Escaping his thoughts, he asked, "Is anyone home?"

With an encouraging smile, Justin answered, "Let's find out." He opened the door and allowed his son to walk in first to see they decided to throw a small party to celebrate his release.

Joining everyone in the living room, Sonny hugged the family and friends who made it out to congratulate him. It felt good to see familiar faces again and to hear the laughing and happy stories, but at the same time, it was a bit overwhelming.

After catching up with Nathan, Melanie, Melissa, Sarah, and Maggie, Sonny excused himself to take a step back away from everyone in the foyer. He really needed to catch his breath.

Victor noticed his great-nephew step out and decided to follow him. "I'm glad I have a moment alone with you," he announced himself.

Sonny turned around and gave his great-uncle a nervous look. "You want a moment alone? I'm sure we'll have plenty of those since I'm living here."

Victor gave his great-nephew an uneasy look as he shared, "I talked to the treatment facility staff. I'm proud of the decisions you made before you left because it makes life easier for the family if you stay out of the public eye for a while. I want to keep you safe."

Confused, Sonny wondered why Victor wanted him to stay out of the public eye. As he began to question if something happened while he was in treatment, he peered into the living room and realized something for the first time. Chad and Will weren't at his party. "What's going on? Are Dario, Chad, and Will not here because you asked them to stay away?"

Victor didn't answer Sonny's question. Instead, he encouraged, "It's best you catch up on your school work. I'm providing someone to come here and do private study courses with you so you don't have to leave while you recuperate."

Sonny really struggled in fully registering his great-uncle's request because it seemed like there was more he wasn't saying. He stepped back and studied Victor's face as he maintained, "I am dedicated to getting my life back and will do whatever necessary to get to where I should be, but you still didn't answer my question about Dario, Chad, and Will. Did you not invite them?"

Noting that Sonny was determined, Victor claimed, "I had no say on the guest list for the party. Your parents are the ones who put this together. From what I understand, Dario chose to stay away and used work as an excuse because there is some tension between the families at the moment."

"I'm putting a stop to whatever is going on in here," Justin swiftly swept in noting the anxious look on his son's face. He turned to his uncle and placed his hand on Victor's chest. "Please lay off my son. He just got out, and he needs to take it easy."

Victor figured Justin was right, but he still shared, "I was only encouraging the young man." He gave Sonny one last firm look before heading into the living room to join the others.

Before Victor could leave, Justin decided to say one final thing. "We need to talk privately, Uncle Vic." He didn't want to tell him in front of Sonny that it was related to EJ wanting to make peace and help him get Titan back.

With Victor gone, Sonny immediately turned to his father and asked, "What's going on?"

"I promise we will talk about it later…"

"Victor looks really annoyed about something," Sonny exclaimed with concern. He wondered what happened while he was in treatment.

Placing his hands on Sonny's shoulders, Justin said, "Stick with the plan you decided on. Focus on your schooling and get back to what you want here in Salem."

Sonny inhaled deeply before exhaling to escape all the tension he was feeling. He thought about Dario and told himself, "Dario will have to wait for a while."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13_ _th_ _, 2016_

* * *

After eating a quick-lunch in the hospital cafeteria, Sonny got on the elevator to head back to work. When the elevator doors opened, he stepped off and found Maggie and Victor near the nurses' station.

"There he is," Maggie released with great joy as she approached him to give him a hug. "How is your day going?"

Sonny traded a look with Victor as he admitted, "I'm a bit overwhelmed, but you don't need to worry. I'm choosing to live as it's a good overwhelming…" Noting the slight disinterest from his great-uncle, he questioned, "Did you only come up here to congratulate me on another year?"

Maggie took Victor's arm and responded, "We're also here for a checkup."

"Everything okay?"

"We are fine," Victor finally spoke. He turned to Maggie and sternly said, "We're going to be late."

Squeezing Sonny's arm with her free hand, Maggie said, "We'll see you later."

Sonny watched as Maggie and Victor walked away. He wondered if his great-uncle was the one needing a checkup. Figuring he would have to ask around, he couldn't help but realize how Victor didn't even try to be happy for him.

* * *

 _Wednesday, May 4th, 2016_

* * *

Dario invited Sonny to have dinner at the mansion DiMera Enterprises built to replace the one that his grandmother, Maddalena, once owned. Dario now lived there alone, but it also served as a backup music studio in case someone else wanted to record there.

Dinner was going quite well, but it became especially quiet. Anytime the silence got awkward, Dario took a sip of his wine due to his nerves taking over. Trying to break the quiet, Dario commented, "Gabi's birthday is in two days."

"You okay?" Sonny questioned with a curious smile.

"Are… I'm fine…" Daio replied hoping he didn't just give anything away. "Are you?"

"I'm great!"

Dario relaxed some because it was good to know Sonny felt great. He looked at the time on the wall clock and figured it was time to move this evening along to something he anticipated for a while. "Are you done?" After Sonny nodded his head, Dario stood up and walked over to take Sonny's plate. "I'll clean off the table so we can relax in the other room."

Sonny stopped Dario from taking his plate as he stood up as well. "I can help you," he offered. He couldn't help noting Dario's nerves were showing again.

Dario agreed, and they headed to the kitchen. He placed the dishes in the sink and began to rinse them off. "I can put these in the dishwasher later," he shared as he kept his focus on what he was doing.

Watching Dario closely, Sonny couldn't help but smile at him. "I find it very endearing that you live in a mansion and still do most of the cleaning here."

A small grin formed on Dario's face. He could hear the love in Sonny's voice. Turning off the sink and drying his hands, he commented, "Even though a wing of the mansion is reserved for the family business, it's weird I have so much space and no one to share it with."

Without a thought, Sonny grabbed Dario's right hand and looked deep into his eyes. "Is that a hint of some kind?"

Dario now saw the love Sonny had for him in his boyfriend's eyes. He bit his lip for a second before admitting, "I want you to move in with me." His attention turned to the hand he was holding as he continued, "And though this isn't exactly how I planned it…"

"Planned what?" Sonny wondered out loud.

Returning his gaze to Sonny's eyes, Dario continued to hold Sonny's hand making sure their pinkies were locked as he dropped onto one knee. With his free hand, he pulled out a ring and asked, "Jackson Steven Kiriakis, will you marry me?"

Sonny covered his mouth with his right hand as his eyes began to water. He was in complete shock.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13_ _th_ _, 2016_

* * *

Walking out from a hall, Sonny couldn't help but admire his engagement ring. Anytime a patient pointed it out, he felt a warmth fill him that gave him continuous hope. He spotted Nathan and Maxine and decided to approach them. "Hey you two."

Suddenly, Caroline, who was on a gurney, was rushed inside the hospital with Sami following the EMTs close behind. Nathan and Maxine rushed to their side first and began to ask questions, "What happened?"

With a fear-filled look, Sami shared, "She collapsed at the Brady Pub when I gave her some possibly bad news."

To calm Sami's nerves, Nathan replied, "We'll take her from here and run some tests."

After Nathan and Maxine took Caroline, Sonny rushed to Sami's side and tried to help in calming her. "I'm sure your grandma is okay."

Sami placed her hands over her face trying not to think of the worst. "I hope I didn't do this to her."

"You didn't. Everything will be okay," Sonny attempted to assure her. "Do you want to call your family – Will?"

Shaking her head, Sami answered, "I will call, but I don't want to tell Will yet. I'll wait for the test results."

Exhaling a deep breath, Sonny told himself this couldn't be happening.


	5. Will Horton and Chad DiMera

**Chapter 5: Will Horton and Chad DiMera – Tuesday, September 13th, 2016**

 **E** verything seemed to be moving so slow. Chad sat anxiously in the studio basement at The Chill with Josh and Dario wishing he had the power to push fast-forward on the day so he could get out of there. Unable to keep his eyes off of the time – whether it was his phone, watch, or the clock in the room – he questioned, "Is everything still on schedule for the rest of the week?"

First, Dario confirmed the schedule with a nod. He then shared, "We have a few local bands coming in the next couple of days since we are closing the studio and club this weekend for the wedding. We shouldn't have too much to deal with honestly."

"We also have to prepare for Safiya's finishing her album next week," Josh added noting how Chad seemed to struggle with sitting completely in his chair. He could tell Chad did not want to be there.

Chad glanced at his phone one more time and revealed his train of thought. "Safiya and Will are most likely done with their last radio show to promote her latest single," he realized aloud. "I'll be back. Will told me he would call me when they were on their way to the airport."

After Chad rushed upstairs, Josh turned to Dario and asked, "Are you free later to practice _the_ song?"

Dario nodded his head. "Yeah. I'll have some time after lunch."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Heading to the airport in New York, Will sat next to Safiya in a luxurious limo. With a huge grin across his face, he proudly announced, "This publicity tour is officially a success!"

Safiya adoringly placed her hand on top of Will's and squeezed it with great excitement. "Traveling with you sort of reminds me of when I would travel with my father before he retired from the Air Force. I love Salem, but I love traveling, too. I'm so happy we could do this together."

"We are a team."

After nodding her head, Safiya sighed and lamented, "I will miss you while I'm recording the rest of my album next week. I know you deserve some time off though with how much time and work you've put in everything – including me."

Will continued to allow Safiya to hold his hand as he humbly encouraged, "You've got this. You don't need me there." After Safiya let go of his hand, Will pulled out his phone. He remembered, "I need to call Chad. I told him I would call."

As Will unlocked his phone to call Chad, Safiya pulled out her phone, too. "I'll check to see what my fans are tweeting about the new single."

Once Chad answered his phone, Will's entire face lit up. They were so happy to hear each other's voices. "Hey handsome. Did you get to hear the last interview that Safiya and I did?"

Chad's voice vocalized some regret as he shared, "I did not. I was with Dario and Josh making sure we had everything covered for the rest of the week's docket."

Will didn't want Chad to feel bad, so he moved on. "It was a great one. Safiya and I sang a little duet – a cappella."

Chad felt a tad worse. "I really feel sad I missed it now. I'm sure I can hear it on the radio website later or look it up on YouTube." He cleared his throat before asking, "When does your flight leave?"

"Within the next hour or so," Will answered before adding, "I really hope we don't have any complications this time."

"I can't wait to see you again."

"I can't wait to see our bed again," Will playfully admitted. "I'm tired."

Chad laughed and flirtatiously stated, "I will be there with you so we can get the best sleep ever. I've tossed and turned since you left."

Will let out an impatient groan as he confessed, "I've slept the same way. Even with you in my arms, we almost certainly won't get much sleep this week anyway because things will probably get really crazy."

Maintaining his flirty mood, Chad argued, "It will be crazy in a good way."

Through a grin, Will replied, "I hope so."

* * *

 _Monday, October 28th, 2013_

* * *

"What time is it?" After Billie and Frankie's wedding, Chad and Will were hanging out at their secret place.

Will looked at his phone for the time and revealed, "It's after midnight." He yawned and realized it had been a long day. "Did you decide where we're celebrating Halloween?"

Chad laughed because Will really wanted to know which costumes they were going to wear on Thursday night. "How about we go to Johnny, Allie, and Sydney's party first in our Thor and Iron Man costumes and then head to our party at The Chill in our sexy Tarzan and George of the Jungle costumes?"

Grabbing his neck, Will questioned, "Any chance I can get a preview of your George of the Jungle costume tonight?"

Chad playfully elbowed Will and said, "You just want me to strip for you again."

"You don't want to see my Tarzan costume?" Will questioned knowing full well what Chad's answer would be. "We could have a battle to see who is the strongest – George or Tarzan."

"We already know you are," Chad claimed kissing Will on the side of his head.

Will dropped his hand from his neck and asked, "Why did you bring me out here tonight?"

Placing his left arm over the back of the bench, Chad pulled Will closer to him. Things became serious again. "I had another special dream last night, and I believe it only confirmed something I already knew. I'm back to that cliff that I once feared. This time I will jump at the chance to have everything I want in this world."

Will leaned his head against Chad's shoulder. "This is what you want? To sit on this bench with me on this sorta chilly night?"

Smiling, Chad shared, "I uncovered a lot of secrets under this bench. There's something I need to tell you."

"What?" Will wondered if this had to do with the money Lexie told him about during Billie and Frankie's wedding reception. Maybe Chad hadn't told him about it before.

"I'm still uncovering secrets about my mom. I recently discovered she left me a large sum of money," Chad disclosed. "I'm going to use part of it to invest in the family, but I also decided to save money for our future."

Will found himself smiling as he thought about his future with Chad. "I hope we have a long future."

Chad leaned his head on top of Will's and noted Will seemed to accept what he told him. "I hope so, too. I love you, and if you ever doubt that or forget, tell me, so I can show it more."

Will placed his hand on Chad's leg and began to rub it for warmth. "I know you love me. I promise I will communicate with you no matter what." Lifting his head, he looked into Chad's eyes. "So what do you see when you imagine our future?"

Eyeing Will's hand on his leg, Chad swallowed hard because the time was coming for his big question. "I picture a beautiful family home filled with photographs, great memories, and love. I picture you and me coming home together with our children and having meals together before we cuddle on the sofa to watch whatever on TV or listen to music. I see us walking out to the backyard after putting the kids to bed and sitting on this bench so we can navigate this world together forever and always."

Will's face lit up even more as a tear fell down his face. He realized Chad didn't want to live in that mansion that would be built over Maddalena's old home. "You want to build our home here – in our place?"

Turning his face towards Will and lifting Will's chin towards him, Chad kissed him for a moment. He placed his right hand in his pocket to grab a small box. He pulled back away from his boyfriend to look directly into Will's eyes. His heart was pounding. In his head, he told himself, "Breathe, Chad – chill…"

Lowering his eyes, Will noticed Chad was fidgeting with something in his pocket. Leaning into his boyfriend more, Will sheepishly smiled as he jokingly commented, "You don't have to hide your boner – no one is around. It's nothing I haven't seen before. Plus, we didn't get to finish what we started in the shower this morning."

Chad looked down at his hand inside his pocket and realized what it looked like he was doing. Removing his hand from his pocket for a moment, he blushed, glanced over to Will's tight slacks, and wondered if Will was excited as well. When Will moved his hands to obviously adjust himself, a smile formed across Chad's face as he looked back into Will's eyes. "I still remember that trick you showed me in the tent on how to hide my morning wood."

"Fortunately, there's no one around," Will laughed. With a wink, he then confessed, "That's what I am doing now." He bit his lip when he saw Chad put his hand in his pocket once more.

Chad found himself blushing even more now. He really struggled in keeping calm. His heart was beating faster as it seemed all of his blood was flowing down to a certain area. Getting serious, he finally pulled out the box and showed Will what he was really doing. "I have something for you – for us."

Will looked at the box and studied it. It seemed a bit too big for a ring, so he knew it had to be something else. "What… what is it?" he asked with great anticipation. His flirty smile had completely faded from his face.

"Open it." Chad handed Will the box.

Opening it, Will pulled out a pair of keys. "You already got keys made?"

Chad scratched the back of his head as he replied, "Well, for our home – no. I mean, we could use them after the house is built, but I had these made for us now. Whether we use them or not, I hope they can represent that no matter where we end up in life, we will be each other's homes – always and forever." Wrapping his hands around the hand Will held the keys in, Chad looked into Will's eyes once again. "Can we make this official? What do you say? Will you move in with me after we build our home together?"

Filled with so much love, Will looked into Chad's beautiful eyes and nodded his head as he audibly replied, "Yes." He leaned in and kissed Chad to seal the deal. When they separated, he added, "I will move in with you. I will do everything with you." Continuing to look directly into Chad's eyes, Will definitely knew he was looking at the man he loved with all of his heart because though Chad could be corny, he knew Chad really meant everything he said.

Chad smiled, pulled Will closer, and began to kiss him once more.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

As Will and Safiya continued their trip to the airport, Chad told Will over the phone, "I have to go because Josh is leaving and Dario is giving me an intense look. I love you, Blue, and I will see you at the airport."

"I love you, too, Handsome." Will ended the call and sighed. Grabbing the key around his neck, he couldn't wait to see Chad again.

Noting the huge smile on Will's face, Safiya joked, "I know what you and Cuddles are doing tonight."

Will's cheeks reddened as he changed the subject to Safiya's replying to tweets on her phone. "Your dedication to your fans will definitely help you in the long run."

Safiya gave her friend a small nod to show that she heard him, but she didn't allow the subject change. "Has Chad been lonely at the house?"

"Yeah."

Putting her phone away, Safiya exclaimed, "I'm excited about house sitting for you guys while you're gone. I may spend the whole time in your Jacuzzi."

Will laughed as he felt an excitement as well. "Your brother is more than welcome to join you as well. Your dad and step-mom, too."

Tapping her chin with her finger, Safiya replied, "I'll think about it." She joined Will as they both began to laugh.

* * *

 _Thursday, November 28th, 2013_

* * *

Michelle and Beth sat with Chad and Will in the living room of Sonny and Will's apartment while Sonny was in the kitchen finishing up Thanksgiving dinner. "Where is everyone this year? I thought I'd at least see Ezra since he lives across the hall."

Hearing Ezra's name reminded Will of how Chad questioned if Ezra was brought to Salem by Maddalena due to revelation that he was really Peter Blake's son. He also thought about what happened with Ezra across the hall a few months ago and how he hadn't told Chad. "Well..." Will was set to answer, but he abruptly leaned back and didn't say another word.

Chad stepped in quickly and shared, "Most of the Kappa guys are out of town this year for the holiday. I think Ezra volunteered to work the soup kitchen with the mayor." The truth was attendance was low this particular year because Sonny was too stressed and purposely minimized the guest list as much as possible.

"Have you two made any progress in the house you're building?" Beth curiously asked Chad and Will.

While Chad became excited thinking about the home he and Will were planning together, Will grabbed Chad's hand and gave everyone in the room a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

Michelle and Beth glanced at each other as Chad gently reminded Will, "We are building a home together – located at our special place." He pulled out the key and showed it to Will hoping it would jog his memory.

Will's memory returned while Chad spoke causing him to give him an odd look now. "I know already," he stated. "I was only joking…"

Chad wondered if Will was really joking but decided not to push it just in case. Turning to Michelle and Beth, he moved on sharing, "Will and I are still making a list of the rooms we want to add as well as what kind of things we want in our home before we meet with an architect to tell us what is possible and what is impossible."

"Nothing seems impossible for Chad DiMera," Michelle lightheartedly commented. She was happy for Chad and Will but admitted, "I am super jealous of you two."

Coming out from the kitchen, Sonny stood quiet for a moment attempting to hide the stress he was currently experiencing from cooking dinner. He told Will and the others that he would do everything since it was also Dario's birthday. "Dario and Gabi still haven't arrived?" he questioned finally getting the others' attention.

Will denied it when the door suddenly opened. Dario entered and announced, "Gabi isn't going to make it even though she wishes she could."

"I doubt that," Sonny snidely commented without thinking.

Unsure whether he heard Sonny correctly, Dario gave his boyfriend a strange look. "What did you say?"

Sonny realized he actually said that out loud and quickly covered, "I'll let you know when everything is ready since it will be just the six of us."

Dario was about to follow Sonny into the kitchen, but Chad quickly stood up and stopped him. "I'll talk to him." He knew Sonny was working on Dario's cake and didn't want Dario to ruin the surprise.

Fortunately, Dario agreed and joined the others on the couch.

Chad entered the kitchen to find Sonny eyeing his medication rather intently. "Everything okay?"

Sonny placed his prescription on the counter before admitting, "I forgot to take my medication. I feel on edge."

Going to Sonny's side, Chad tried his best to calm him down. "It's okay. You're doing well."

Eyeing the semi-translucent orange bottle, Sonny sighed, "I hate that I have to take medication to feel somewhat normal. I'm failing."

Continuing his attempt to lift Sonny's spirits, Chad encouraged, "Everything looks wonderful – smells wonderful."

Sonny wanted to smile, but he couldn't. He looked to Chad and earnestly asked, "Why did Gabi decide not to come?" Chad didn't answer but gave Sonny a look to show he was uncomfortable in answering. Noting it, Sonny hypothesized, "Gabi is back to not approving of me because I'm cuckoo."

"That's not true," Chad quickly corrected him. He couldn't let Sonny keep this pessimistic charade any longer and decided to share the truth. "Dario told me earlier that Gabi decided not to come because Arianna and Manny weren't invited, and she didn't want them to feel left out on Thanksgiving."

Unfortunately, the truth did not help Sonny feel better. He shook his head and disgracefully stated, "I forgot to invite them. They still could have come."

Chad shrugged his shoulders. "Dario and I tried to tell them that, but Manny and Arianna didn't feel comfortable imposing on your plans."

Noting the look in Chad's eyes, Sonny had to look away. "Everyone is looking at me differently. I'm not delicate, and you guys don't have to walk on eggshells around me." Studying the birthday cake he made for Dario, he wondered, "Maybe I should tell Dario to have Thanksgiving with his family."

Chad grabbed Sonny's arm to bring him out of his misery. "Dario wants to be with you. Don't push him away again." When Sonny seemed to relax some, Chad offered, "Do you need any help finishing the cake?"

Sonny sighed and shared, "I'm done with everything. Can you tell everyone to come and sit at the table so we can start?"

Keeping his hold on Sonny, Chad replied, "Take a few deep breaths. Tonight will be amazing."

After Chad left the kitchen, Sonny found a bottle of tequila and quickly took a swig. He hoped he would be able to calm down.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

Chad had received a business related call after talking to Will. When he hung up, he turned to Dario, noted he had an uncomfortable look on his face, and asked, "Is everything okay?"

Dario restlessly rubbed his stomach. "Things are fine, but I am hungry. Let's grab a bite at the pub."

"We should call Sonny," Chad suggested.

"Sonny's working," Dario swiftly responded. "He and I have plans tonight with Justin and Adrienne anyway."

Remembering the precise date, Chad realized why today was so special. "You guys are celebrating Sonny tonight."

Dario smiled but showed he was a bit stressed. "It's a great thing of course, but I know Sonny seems to struggle more on days like today because the pressure is still there." Trying to smile, he added, "I apologize for not inviting you and Will, but I figured you two would want some alone time, and as I hinted to before, Sonny wants to minimize today as much as possible."

Patting his cousin on the back, Chad reassuringly stated, "I completely understand. Let's go to the pub and get our grub on."

* * *

 _Tuesday, August 19th, 2014_

* * *

Chad, Will, and Dario were sitting at a table in one of the conference rooms at DiMera Enterprises waiting for the others to arrive. "I wonder what is taking EJ, Lexie, and Sami so long," Chad wondered more to himself.

Dario was in his own world and ignored Chad's question. "I tried to visit with Sonny, but he's not allowed visitors during this time since ' _it's so early in his treatment_ '. I'm not sure if I believe it though because he's been in there for a couple weeks now. I have no clue when Sonny's getting out because Justin and Adrienne haven't returned any of my calls. I should try to talk to them in person."

Will wondered why Dario wasn't getting any answers. "Chad and I wrote Sonny a letter. I hope he gets it."

"I hope so, too," Dario intensely replied.

EJ entered the room and claimed, "Samantha and Lexie are on their way. We need to figure out what our plans are for the Peter and Kristen situation. I've made multiple attempts at reaching out to Victor, but he's not getting back to me. He's upset, and I fear he may retaliate in some way against our family." Figuring out his next move, he shared, "I need to look for ways to help Victor legally take back Titan to end this. I could talk to Justin."

Remembering what Dario said before his brother entered the conference room, Chad looked at Dario and pondered, "Do you think Victor would purposely keep you away from Sonny because of what happened?"

"You could be right," Dario realized. He knew he really needed to reach out to Justin and Adrienne in person.

Will didn't want to believe it, but he had a plan to find out for sure. "Maybe I should talk to Maggie."

EJ gave Will a nod. "That could be helpful. I know we have to be careful in how we approach this because I don't want to make permanent enemies out of Peter and Kristen. We can't make the same mistakes as Stefano."

Chad noticed his brother couldn't help but look at him. He saw the distrust in EJ's eyes and bit his lip so he didn't say anything out of turn.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

Will and Safiya now sat inside the DiMera Jet, which was about to take off. "Crap!" Will released as he began to feel his pockets for his phone. He saw his phone next to him and grabbed it. "I forgot to call Sonny. I promised Adrienne I would."

Safiya rolled her eyes at Will because he was worried over nothing. "Do it when we're high enough…" Noting that Will was stressed over more than just Sonny, she commented, "Returning to life in Salem is really getting to you, huh?"

Will wished the answer was no, but he couldn't lie. "I want everything to go perfectly this week even though I know something will most likely go wrong."

"Relax, Will," Safiya quickly directed him. "Remember everything that has gone right so far."

Safiya always knew what to say to help Will focus. His thoughts went to Chad, and he couldn't help but smile.

* * *

 _Saturday, July 18th, 2015_

* * *

Will and Sonny were having lunch at Adrienne's new restaurant which was known formerly as The Cheatin' Heart; she rebranded and remodeled it almost a year ago during Sonny's second stint at the mental institution. Dropping his hand on the table, Will exhaled, "I'm glad things are finally settling down."

Raising his eyebrows and scratching the side of his neck, Sonny replied, "I really hope nothing else happens. I'm tired of things coming between Dario and me. I'm not sure I could take it."

Will patted Sonny's arm. "You are stronger than you give yourself credit for," he proudly reminded him.

Sonny knew Will was right, but he still admitted, "There are times when doubt tries to take over."

"That's why we stick together," Will countered with great hope.

Smiling at Will, Sonny couldn't help but note that there was something about him. "What's going on with you?" he asked through his grin. "You're glowing. You're dying to tell me something."

Will raised his shoulders and smiled figuring he should just come out with it. "I can't help it anymore…" Leaning in closer to Sonny, Will whispered with great excitement, "I got the ring."

Sonny's eyes lit up as a jolt of joy ran through his body. "Really? This is... I am so happy for you!"

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016_

* * *

At the Brady Pub, Sami had arrived to tell Chad and Dario the news she had received from Peter. "I tried to get in touch with EJ because Peter came to the house with news about my father."

Sami's news didn't fully compute for Caroline. What did Peter know about Roman? "What did he say? Roman is fine in Germany, where he's lived the past two years."

Turning her attention to her grandmother, Sami nervously shared, "According to Peter, dad's not in Germany. He hasn't been in a while."

Dario swiftly questioned, "Where has he been?"

"He's been in Egypt for the last few months but has recently gone missing…" Sami answered.

Overwhelmed by the news, Caroline placed her hand on the table to keep her balance. The stress and worry only increased as she considered all the possibilities for Roman being in Egypt and then disappearing. Her eldest son's name escaped her lips before she suddenly felt dizzy. Soon after, she lost her balance and fainted.

Sami rushed to her grandmother's side as Chad and Dario tried to help Caroline up. "I'll call 911," she hastily decided. She didn't want to take any chances.

Knowing that Andrew stepped out, Chad volunteered, "Dario and I can look over the pub so you can go with her to the hospital if they decide to take her."

Dario agreed with Chad's plan and added, "We'll call Gabi and Andrew to let them know what happened."

Sami nodded her head and reminded Chad, "Thanks, but make sure you don't forget to pick up Will."

"I won't," Chad promised. Returning his focus to Will's great-grandmother, he hoped she would be okay.

(*)*(*)*(*)

* * *

 _ **Future**_ _: Thursday, September 15_ _th_ _, 2016_

* * *

Tapping on a nearby coffee table with his left hand, an older man pulled a phone receiver to his ear before pushing a specific button. The phone began to ring and the person he was calling immediately picked up. "Yes. I want to know if the package has been delivered."

The person on the other side answered, "Yes, signor. I just delivered it to the new head of security and spied EJ and Samantha leaving the premises."

Pleased by the update, the older man shared, "We must prepare for the next package. Be ready for when it arrives. The Phoenix isn't the only one who will rise from the ashes…"


	6. We Could Be Celebrating

**Chapter 6: We Could Be Celebrating – Tuesday, September 13th, 2016**

"Josh said he would lock everything up for the day," Dario announced as he entered the front of the pub.

With a nod of relief, Chad acknowledged, "I'll have to call Josh later to thank him for covering things. He really has helped us out a lot over the last couple years after Brian left."

Feeling a bit uneasy from Chad mentioning Brian, Dario simply agreed before glancing over the crowd. He and Chad finally had everything under control at the Brady Pub when Andrew, Gabi, and Carter arrived from Gabi and Carter's weekly picnic at T's graveside.

As Gabi placed Carter on the ground and led him to a smaller table, Andrew cornered their stand-ins and shared, "I just got off the phone with Sami. My grandma will be fine, but they are keeping her overnight for observation. Thanks for covering for me." Internally, he was berating himself for leaving Caroline to run the pub.

After telling Andrew it wasn't a problem, Dario walked over to Gabi and apologized, "I'm sorry for having to cut your time short."

Recognizing the situation was no one's fault, Gabi waved her hand down and replied, "It will be fine. If things get busy, I'll find a way to keep the little stinker preoccupied somehow." She watched Andrew to make sure he was alright while keeping her distance from him. "I'm just glad that Caroline will be okay."

"I could…" Dario was about to volunteer to watch Carter, but his phone chimed. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw he received a text message from Adrienne telling him to call her when he was free. Dario called Adrienne right away and when she picked up, he greeted her, "Hey Boss. What's up?"

With an uncertain tone in her voice, Adrienne confided, "Sonny just sent me a text message that he's canceling our plans tonight. I tried to call him, but he's not picking up for me."

"Crap… I'll see what I can do," Dario told Adrienne. After ending the call, he returned his attention to the others and disclosed, "Sonny is telling his parents that he can't have dinner tonight." Things were definitely not going smoothly. He had already canceled on practicing with Josh since he had to help Chad with the pub.

Gabi continued to give Dario an understanding look. "Don't worry about watching Carter. Do what you have to do." Suddenly, she received a text from Arianna. She quickly read it and announced, "Well, things are working out. Arianna can watch Carter, but I just need to get him to her place."

"I could drop Carter off on my way to the airport," Chad volunteered.

Gabi's face lit up. "That would be great actually." With her attention now on Carter, she said, "I've got some good news for you, Carter."

With an extremely curious look, Carter released, "What is the good news?"

Gabi grabbed his hand and eagerly announced, "You are going with your tios to see Tia Arianna."

Carter's face lit up immediately because Dario was his favorite uncle and he really did like Chad. "I get to ride with them… in their car?"

After Gabi confirmed it with a big nod, Dario tried to keep his smile for his nephew's sake as he thought about Sonny. He placed his hand on Chad's shoulders and whispered, "Can you drop me off at The Chill on your way to my sister's, so I can get my car? I need to get to the hospital ASAP."

Chad nodded his head and agreed. "For sure, man."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Meanwhile, in Sacramento, EJ and Lexie stood near the spacious balcony of their high-end hotel suite discussing their final business dinner. "I believe everything is set for tonight."

Studying her brother closely, Lexie couldn't help but note, "I know you're nervous even though you're hiding it rather well."

"We have a lot riding on this final meeting," EJ started allowing more of his vulnerability to show. "I hope I am doing the right thing here."

Lexie warmly patted EJ's hand. "Abe would be proud of you for doing this. You're taking care of the family and the people of Salem. You're making sure DiMera Enterprises continues to have a legitimate future in the world. You and I both know this is the right thing to do, and it's a bonus we got Rex to work with us." She took a deep breath knowing this was a huge step for her individual future as well. All she wanted was to honor Abe's life the best she could.

EJ hugged his sister allowing his nerves to show for just a moment longer. Spotting his phone on the table, he realized he hadn't checked it in some time. He grabbed his phone to verify the time and realized he had a few missed calls from Sami. "Seems Samantha has tried to call me," he shared. "I should call her back."

Lexie decided to get some fresh air on the balcony to give her brother some privacy.

After tapping Samantha's name on the screen, EJ put his phone to his ear waiting for his wife to answer. When she did, he affectionately said her name, "Samantha…"

"EJ, it's so good to hear your voice," Sami adoringly released before asking, "What are you doing?"

EJ eyed his sister as she took a few deep breaths. Her nerves were showing more now that she thought she was alone in her thoughts. "Lexie and I are having a short meeting before our dinner date."

Allowing some hesitation in her voice, Sami lamented, "I don't want to overwhelm you before your dinner, but I thought you should know my grandma is in the hospital. She fainted at the pub, but she is fine now." She thought about the news Peter shared about her father and chose not to share that just yet. "We can talk more about that later."

Concerned, EJ questioned, "Are you sure everything is okay?"

Sami cleared her throat and vigilantly insisted, "She is going to be fine. I'll have to tell you more later. I know you're busy."

EJ could tell Sami had a lot to say but was holding back. He wondered if she was upset with him. "I apologize I wasn't available when you called earlier. Lexie and I will be home tomorrow."

Sami sighed wishing he was home now. "The kids miss you… so do I."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

At the hospital, Cameron headed out of a hall with Sonny towards the nurses' station. They had just finished their meeting with Joselyn. "I'm glad things are going well for you."

Sonny felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He figured it was his parents trying to contact him and decided to ignore it for now. "Thanks. I hope everything worked out for Diego since he had an emergency come up at his private practice."

Spotting his mom approaching them, Cameron quickly replied, "I'm sure things are fine. He still had time to let Joselyn know over the phone that your therapy sessions are still going well."

Sonny still had his doubts, but he didn't voice them because Maxine approached them. With a serious look, he asked, "Is there news on Caroline?"

Dario got off the elevator and spotted Sonny talking to Maxine and Cameron. He quickly made his way over and interrupted, "Sonny, what is this about canceling dinner?"

Cameron gently put his arm on Maxine's back and suggested, "Maybe we should give Sonny and Dario some privacy." Maxine agreed and walked away with Cameron.

Before Sonny could say anything, Dario assumed, "Does it have to do with the pressure? If you want, we can have a quiet night alone at our place to minimize…"

Sonny immediately shook his head. "No…" he sighed. "It's not the pressure or the fact that I don't want to celebrate. I'm fine. I told mom and dad to forget about tonight because I want to make sure Caroline will be okay."

Dario wasn't sure he believed Sonny completely. He could see the concern in Sonny's eyes, but he remembered what Andrew told him earlier at the pub. "I know Caroline is fine. We can still make dinner if we go home now to get ready."

Having overheard the conversation since they were nearby, Sami asked Nathan, "Do you need Sonny to stay?"

Nathan denied it. "I don't know why he wants to stay."

Heading over with Nathan, Sami told Sonny, "My grandma is in good hands. You don't need to watch over her even though it would be appreciated by the family."

Sonny scratched his arm. "What about you?"

Sami gave Sonny an appreciative smile as she answered, "You don't have to worry about me because Eric, Shawn, and Belle are on their way up." She gave him a hug before pushing him gently towards Dario. "Go. Have fun with your family."

Giving Sonny the extra push, Nathan promised, "I've got everything covered."

Figuring he couldn't put up a fight any longer, Sonny finally faced Dario before taking his pinky. "We can go."

Dario was happy Sonny finally caved, but it still bothered him that Sonny wasn't telling him something. "Let's go."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

"I can pack the food up now, and then we can warm it up and eat it later," Jennifer offered standing next to the stove in her kitchen. Hope had just told her the news about Caroline.

Hope, who was sitting at the table, replied, "It's okay because when I talked to Nathan, he told me Caroline needed some time before she could have visitors. Besides, Bo and Ciara are out for their monthly father-daughter date night. When they are done, we are heading to the hospital together."

Jennifer walked over with a plate of food for Hope. After placing it on the table in front of her cousin, she returned to the stove to serve herself. "It's adorable that Ciara and Bo are doing that."

Hope nodded her head and agreed. "Bo started doing it because Ciara is in her first year of high school."

Walking over with her own plate, Jen took a seat across from her cousin and noted, "Bo is probably not ready to let go of his little girl."

"We both aren't ready," Hope shared raising her eyebrows. She grabbed her fork so she could dig in. "I think it's great Bo and Ciara can do this because I want Ciara to see how a gentleman treats a woman."

Jennifer's thoughts went to JJ. She reflected over her youngest child's situation but decided not to bring it up. Instead, she asked, "Do Chelsea and Bo have father-daughter time as well?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Hope answered, "Bo and Chelsea don't really spend too much time alone, but that's not to say they have a bad relationship. Chelsea has moved out of our house and is now living in Sonny's old apartment with Will's friend Safiya. She still comes over for meals when Bo cooks, but she is definitely more independent as she should be since she is older."

Jennifer took a bite of food as she nodded her head to show she understood. After swallowing, she admitted, "I'm sort of dealing with empty-nest syndrome. I am happy for Josh and Abby, and I'm excited for their future."

Hope raised her right eye as she commented, "Things are about to change in a big way for Josh and Abby."

"Yes, they are."

Keeping her right eyebrow raised, Hope curiously questioned, "What's going on with JJ?"

Jen tried to hide her sadness, but she shared, "I haven't gotten to talk to him much, but he was able to call me for a short time on my birthday. He does sound like he's better when we talk, but I'm not sure if he is done – with treatment that is."

"Will we get to see him this weekend?"

Nodding her head as Hope took another bite, Jen replied, "I'm actually having dinner with Jack tomorrow night to discuss JJ's visit this weekend."

"How are things with Jack?"

Jen couldn't help but notice that Hope was on a roll with the questions. She gave her cousin a confident look and stated, "Things are okay. We've gotten used to being older parents now, and we're living our own lives."

"Are you happy about that?"

"Yes," Jen confirmed. "I am good with how things are between Jack and me."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

At the Salem airport, Chad helped Will and Safiya with their jam-packed luggage before they climbed into the limo to head out. "Your bags were heavier than I remember," he playfully joked.

As Safiya softly punched Chad in the arm, Will shared, "I thought you were driving and picking us up yourself."

Chad leaned back to get more comfortable. "I got the limo for show since Safiya's single officially came out today. The numbers are looking awesome by the way."

Safiya clasped her hands together as her face lit up. "I cannot believe this is happening again. I am no longer a one-hit wonder." Though she had released more than two tracks, this was her second original track as most of what she had released prior were covers.

Happy for Safiya's success, Will shared, "I looked and saw some great reviews so far. I am sure the album release will be even better."

"I cannot wait to finish recording next week!" Safiya exclaimed.

Will smiled at Safiya before leaning into Chad's arms. He gave Chad a quick peck before asking, "How have things been in Salem?"

Chad immediately thought about Caroline and remembered how Sami asked him earlier not to say anything to Will about it. He knew that was something he couldn't promise. "There's something we need to talk about later, but I also have a big surprise for you at home."

Knowing that Will and Chad needed to be alone as soon as possible, Safiya suggested, "You can tell the driver to drop me off at my family's house since they want to take me out to celebrate. My dad and step-mom will get me and my stuff to my place later."

Will turned his attention to Safiya and lamented, "I wish we could celebrate with you and your family tonight."

Safiya traded a look with Chad and quickly said, "I would love that, but I know Cuddles wants some alone time with his man."

Returning his attention to Chad, Will lovingly shared, "I want the same," before giving Chad another kiss.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Sonny sat with his parents and Dario at the Penthouse Grille. Giving Adrienne a sheepish look, he made sure his mother noticed it before turning to Justin. "Dad, I want to thank you for not coming up to the hospital and embarrassing me today."

Adrienne immediately put her hands up and argued, "Son, you know who I am, and I'm never going to stop loving you even if my love embarrasses you sometimes."

Dario smiled and pointed out, "Where's my thanks? I stayed away, too."

Sonny dipped his head towards Dario and reminded him, "You came up after my shift and meeting with Joselyn and Cameron."

"That doesn't count," Dario maintained adding, "The only reason I showed up was due to you trying to skip out on tonight's dinner."

Taking Dario's hand, Sonny grinned and claimed, "I was only giving you and mom a hard time."

"Well, we are proud of you, Jackson," Adrienne said raising her glass somewhat. "How long did my cookies last?"

Remembering the cookies Adrienne brought up to the hospital, Sonny replied, "Not very long, which reminds me… Nancy Wesley asked for your recipe."

Proud of her baking, Adrienne gladly obliged, "I will forward my recipe to Nancy."

After taking a sip from his drink, Justin wondered about something else that his son mentioned. "How did things go with Joselyn and Cameron? I gather Diego wasn't there this time."

"There haven't been any issues so things are looking good for my probation," Sonny exhaled. He then explained, "Diego had an emergency to deal with at his private practice. I wonder if Chelsea was there."

Returning the conversation to what was most important, Dario squeezed Sonny's hand feeling rather proud of him. "Soon, you won't have your every move watched."

Attempting to make light of his situation, Sonny jested, "As a doctor, I will always be watched closely."

Giving his son a knowing look, Justin noted his son was trying to not be serious. "It's okay for you to be annoyed that you have to check in with Cameron and Joselyn to make sure you're not doing anything you shouldn't do. How are your therapy sessions going with Diego?"

Sonny chose to keep his answer simple. "Therapy is going okay." He then sighed with relief and admitted, "I consider myself lucky that the hospital took me at all considering my questionable mental decisions."

Adrienne really wanted Sonny to avoid letting any doubt enter his mind. "That's because they know you are not a threat to the safety of the patients or anyone else there. They know you are a good man."

Sonny now tried to downplay his greatness. "I also had Sami and Maggie's help in convincing the board. I guess Great-Uncle Victor helped out in the beginning as well."

Shaking Sonny's hand because he wasn't sure if he was joking or being serious, Dario questioned, "Are you okay, babe? You seem really down today."

Sonny firmly nodded his head before apologizing. "Sorry I keep trying to downplay my accomplishments. I really want to thank you all for tonight. I truly am gracious for your support."

Justin smiled but he couldn't let Dario's question go. "I know you, Jackson. You're keeping something inside. Did something happen at work?" A part of him wondered if it was related to therapy since he seemed set on not discussing his sessions.

"Is this about Caroline?" Dario questioned next. "Is that what has you worried?"

Sonny figured he should just be upfront about why he was off tonight. "In a way, it is connected to Caroline," he confessed before turning his attention to his parents. "Is Victor sick?"

Justin and Adrienne traded a look, but before they could answer, Peter and Kristen Blake walked over to say hello. "So great to see all of you."

For Dario's sake, Justin and Adrienne greeted Kristen and Peter. "Where is your wife," Adrienne asked Peter.

"She is with Ezra," Peter openly shared.

Noting the drinks around the table, Kristen asked, "What are you celebrating?"

Wanting to get rid of Kristen and Peter, Justin claimed, "We're simply having a family gathering."

Kristen grinned as she mentioned, "We are practically family in more ways than one." She hoped they got the hint that she and Peter wanted to join them.

Figuring he should step in at this point, Dario placed his arm around Sonny's back and treaded carefully. "Unfortunately, it's just an immediate family gathering."

Peter placed his hand on Kristen's back to direct her away. "Well, we'll let you get to it. Have a good night."

With Peter and Kristen gone, Justin rolled his shoulders before returning to Sonny's question about Victor. "Why did you ask about Uncle Victor being sick?"

"Never mind," Sonny decided. "I am probably freaking out for no reason."

"I am sure that Victor was at the hospital for just a checkup," Adrienne assured her son.

Sonny realized he never mentioned seeing Victor at the hospital. His parents definitely knew something, but he decided not to ask tonight. "I'm sure Victor will say something if it is anything even though he still isn't my biggest fan."

Dario turned to Sonny and gave him a look of concern. He wondered if Sonny regretted their relationship because of the tension between him and Victor.

Before Dario could voice his concern, Sonny quickly turned and gave Dario a kiss to assure him. "You are worth it though."

"You are, too, Jackson."

At Peter and Kristen's table, Peter leaned into the table and softly announced, "Thursday is the big day."

Kristen excitedly raised her eyebrows and commented, "Let the fireworks begin."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Finally, Chad and Will were having a quiet dinner in their mansion. Will couldn't help but feel at peace. "This is nice because New York was non-stop. I'm glad we can just relax and slow down for a moment." The fact that he ran into Mia in New York entered his mind, but he quickly dismissed it and chose not to tell Chad because it wasn't a big deal.

With a nod, Chad admitted, "I felt a bit lazy this past week. Dario and Josh have really picked up the slack at The Chill."

Hearing a twinge of guilt in Chad's voice, Will maintained, "You put so much work into The Chill so you deserve to slack sometimes."

Will was right. Chad stared deeply into Will's eyes appreciating the fact that distance no longer stood in their way of being able to do something like this. He felt so spoiled sometimes because of how great life was at the moment.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about something in the limo," Will reluctantly reminded Chad. "What is it?"

Chad inhaled and exhaled slowly. He eyed his glass of water for a moment before revealing, "Your great-grandmother is in the hospital, but she is okay… She collapsed at the pub."

Grabbing the back of his neck, Will realized, "Mom and Great-grandma asked you not to tell me." He could see the uneasiness in Chad's eyes.

Chad confirmed it and shared, "We want you to enjoy this relaxing evening."

Appreciating that Chad told him now instead of waiting until the morning, Will asked, "You said she is okay?"

"She is fine," Chad affirmed. "They are keeping her overnight just in case."

Will looked at the tall wooden clock across the room figuring it was too late to pay Caroline a visit. "I will visit her tomorrow," he decided. "Thanks for telling me Chad."

"There are no secrets between us," Chad reminded Will.

Will smiled and reflected over his day. "So… Taylor West tweeted something earlier today," he shared changing the subject.

Rolling his eyes, Chad cautiously questioned, "Should I be worried?"

Will laughed about it. "She most likely tweeted what she did to piggyback on Safiya's release and radio shows she and I did together…" In a playful tone, he bragged, "She tweeted that I, Will Horton, was the inspiration to her song _Closet_."

Immediately grabbing his phone to search for the tweet, Chad rhetorically released, "She did not!" When he found the tweet, his fingers swiftly started to type on his phone.

Freaking out, Will asked Chad, "What are you doing? Please don't start anything with Taylor! We don't want to go down that road again."

Chad looked up from his phone for a moment to show he was debating whether he should listen to Will or not. "I could respond to her tweet or we could add another song to our playlist about what a fame whore she is… We could add _Thirsty_ …"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Will interrupted Chad. "While I admire you for trying to go down a slightly better route, I have to ask you an important question."

Giving Will his full attention, Chad wondered, "What's your important question?"

"Are you ready for this... Cuddles?" Will released teasing Chad a bit. "The question is: Is Taylor West really worth adding a song to our play list?"

Chad leaned back and realized Will was right. "In the grand scheme of things, Taylor West is a very tiny insignificant speck in our story, and we should keep it that way."

Laughing now, Will released a small "Amen" before noting that Chad began to type on his phone again. "Wait. What are you doing now?" He became serious again.

Taking in what Will said, Chad turned his phone around so Will could see he had cleared out what he planned to tweet. "You're right that no response is the best response, and I definitely don't want to help her sales anymore."

Will was happy he managed to talk Chad out of replying to Taylor's tweet, but he noticed Chad kept eyeing his phone. Deciding to change the subject again, he asked, "So… is there dessert?"

Chad raised his eyes from his phone and answered, "There is dessert and then there's _dessert_ dessert."

Will smiled widely and declared, "I'm okay with skipping dessert then…"


	7. Dario DiMera, Part 1

**Chapter 7: Dario DiMera, Part 1 – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 **I** n his bed, Dario's eyes slowly opened. He had been asleep, but for some reason his body decided it was time to wake up. Turning over to the side, he looked towards the digital clock on his nightstand. Disappointment quickly followed. He definitely woke up before his alarm was set to go off.

Dario turned onto his back figuring there wasn't a point in trying to go back to sleep. Lifting his head, he turned to look at Sonny and smiled noting the fuzzy hair on Sonny's firm chest. He glanced up to Sonny's kissable lips and then moved on to his closed eyes. He couldn't help but take in how everything was so good for them in this moment – it was so peaceful.

Returning his eyes to Sonny's bare chest, Dario bit his lip as he studied every tiny dark hair he wished he could run his fingers through, but he knew better. He feared what would come if he touched any part of Sonny in this moment.

* * *

 _Friday, November 1st, 2013_

* * *

As planned on the day of Billie and Frankie's wedding, Dario and Sonny went camping the weekend after Halloween. With the tent up and the camp fire set for later, Dario placed his hands in the front pockets of his denim fitted jeans before zealously leaning into Sonny. "We should go hiking for a bit and come back to cook dinner before we finish the night with stargazing."

Sonny forced a smile as Dario continued to lean on him. He was happy to be with Dario, but it was a bit overwhelming to be alone with him – just the two of them. Shifting his body a tad so he could grab Dario's shoulders so Dario didn't fall, Sonny shared, "I'm still somewhat tired from Chad and Will's Halloween party last night."

Facing his boyfriend, Dario playfully poked Sonny in the side to wake him up. "Well, you kind of overdid it with the drinking," he teased.

Unsure of how to respond, Sonny rubbed his arm deciding he needed to slow things down before he got too bent out of shape. He asked, "Do you really think we have time for all of those things? What are we going to do tomorrow? Maybe we should save the hiking for then…"

Dario stepped backwards and studied the expression on his boyfriend's face. He could tell Sonny was feeling a bit overcome with their retreat from Salem. "We'd only go hiking for forty minutes tops. It gives us enough time to relax and get the fire started before we cook dinner."

Sonny flinched when Dario grabbed his hand to lead him on their hike – he was really set on going. Pulling back, Sonny stated, "If you really want to go hiking, I'll set up everything for dinner so that it's ready by the time you come back."

Moving in closer, Dario made sure to lock eyes with Sonny. "What's going on here, Jackson?"

"Jackson…" Sonny looked down and attempted to make light of the serious tone their conversation suddenly took. "I must be in trouble because now you're sounding like my parents."

Dario shook his head realizing he needed to get Sonny's full attention a different way. "You're not in trouble, Sonny. I was just… never mind. I only want to know why it seems like you're pushing me away. This weekend is for us. If you didn't want to come, you could have said no."

Sighing, Sonny squeezed Dario's hand and claimed, "Dario, I want to be with you; that's why I agreed to come with you." He cleared his throat before admitting, "I'm trying my hardest not to let you down."

Pulling Sonny into a hug, Dario affirmed, "You won't disappoint me, Sonny."

"But I already am," Sonny acutely released. He thought about how he told Dario everything would be okay with Ignazio, but now Ignazio was gone – most likely dead – just like Isobel.

Dario placed his hands on each side of Sonny's face so he could look into his eyes once more. He studied them closely and could see the deep sadness confined within them. He did not understand it. Why was Sonny still so broken? Why couldn't he save him? Wanting to escape his own frustration, he leaned closer and kissed Sonny to warm his heart. "I love you, Sonny. Whether we go hiking or lay in each other's arms in that tent, I will not be disappointed. You're not letting me down."

Sonny saw the earnest sincerity in Dario noting how much this was impacting him, too. He did not want this. Placing his hands around Dario's cheeks, he pulled him into a kiss to show him what he wanted to do instead. After he knew he had Dario's attention, he separated from him and said, "We should save hiking for tomorrow and have fun in the tent instead."

Trying to catch his breath from what just happened, Dario grinned and eyed the tent. "Yeah?"

Sonny nodded his head to confirm what he wanted. Leading Dario into the tent after grabbing his hand, he peeled off his shirt and encouraged Dario to do the same.

Dario did not hesitate. He kicked off his shoes as he undid the button and zipper of his jeans so they could fall to the ground.

Sonny took off the rest of his clothes and brushed up against Dario to start kissing him again. His hand fell to Dario's bare hips to pull his boyfriend even closer. "This is so much better than hiking," he playfully commented.

Dario gladly agreed as he ran his fingers through Sonny's chest hair. "It's been a while since you shaved," he noted before kissing Sonny again.

Sonny pulled away breaking from the moment. "Sorry. I didn't think about it."

"No... no..." Dario released realizing how his statement came across. "You know I love the extra hair. You're so handsome."

Sonny felt Dario's love in everything he was doing to him and felt a bit overwhelmed by it. Needing to clear his mind, he kneeled down to the ground, closed his eyes, and took Dario into his mouth. Every time a moan or pleasure-filled noise escaped Dario's lips, he continued to go deeper.

Almost completely losing it, Dario quickly stopped Sonny as he grounded his feet flat on the bottom of the tent. "Whoa. We should switch so this doesn't end so fast. You know I like to take my time."

"Right," Sonny said under his breath. A part of him wanted this to last, but another part of him wanted this to be over. He needed to distract Dario but keep him happy at the same time.

Dario kneeled to the ground, placed his hands on Sonny's shoulders, and gently directed Sonny to lie down on his back. His lips landed on Sonny's neck but it wasn't long before they were exploring his lover's nipples.

Sonny began to get lost again in what Dario was doing. He placed his right hand on top of Dario's head and lightly guided Dario to go lower. As Dario went further down his stomach, Sonny couldn't help but arch his back when Dario placed his lips around the tip of his cock. "Dari…" Sonny couldn't even say his name completely as his entire body tightened. As soon as he released everything he had, his body began to shake from the shock it had just been through.

Dario pulled his body up as he wiped his mouth so he could look Sonny into the eyes. He couldn't help but smile as he said, "I must be getting better or something… that happened pretty fast."

Sonny wasn't sure what to say because he did not expect that to happen either. "That has to be it," he said looking down to see Dario still needed to get off. "I'll get a condom," he decided to move things along. He moved from under Dario and went to his backpack.

Dario watched Sonny and admired his body. He didn't know how he could be so lucky to be so connected to someone like Sonny. It definitely had its perks, but then he realized something. While Sonny looked through his bag, he saw that same sadness in his eyes. How could it be? "Everything okay, Sonny?"

Noting the tone of Dario's voice, Sonny realized Dario must have noticed something. He quickly put on a smile and said, "Yeah. I'm just looking everywhere for this condom." He unzipped another part of his bag and finally found one. "Here we go."

Dario smiled when he saw a look of excitement return to Sonny's face. He really wanted this as much as he did. Taking the condom from Sonny, he put it on and made sure they were good to go before placing Sonny on his back.

"Let's try a different angle," Sonny said as flirtatious as possible. He turned around on his stomach, turned his head back, and said, "I'm ready."

Even though he wanted to look Sonny in the eyes while they made love, Dario went for it and climbed on top of his boyfriend. He figured it was good to change things up every once in a while.

Sonny returned his gaze forward before resting the top of his head on his arms. He let out moans as Dario got into a rhythm; he pushed himself into Dario more and more. "You feel so good," he released as he stretched out his arms to grab whatever he could.

Dario put his arms under Sonny's as he kissed the back of his shoulder. "You are so amazing Sonny. I love you so much."

Sonny continued to moan euphorically. He pulled his hands back and placed them on Dario's ass to give him the extra push even if he didn't need it.

Feeling so connected to Sonny, Dario finally gave in to complete bliss. He felt everything in him escape his body one jolt at a time. His breathing was so heavy as he continued to lay on top of Sonny. He didn't want to let go.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Unable to help himself, Dario began to run his fingers through Sonny's chest hair causing Sonny to wake up. Sonny mischievously smiled knowing what was on Dario's mind. Looking into his beautiful brown eyes, he knew what he wanted to do, but he hesitated. The last thing he wanted to do was tease Dario. After a moment, he finally moved in and kissed Dario. "Hey…"

Dario grinned even bigger. "Hey…" He couldn't help noting there was some awkwardness between them since they were so close. He wanted to kiss Sonny again, but he stopped himself.

Recognizing that he should have checked in with Dario first, Sonny distanced himself somewhat and commented, "Maybe I should have slept in the other room."

Dario realized he made the right decision in not kissing Sonny again because it was clear now that Sonny had no intention of taking this further. "We're good. You slept in my room because we're celebrating another year. We only cuddled, remember?"

The idea of cuddling was now stuck on Sonny's mind. He glanced over to the time before returning his eyes to Dario. "You know… we both have some time before we have to get out of bed…" He grabbed Dario's arm and moved in closer so he could nuzzle into his fiancé. Believing he and Dario were on the same page as far as them not having sex and just cuddling, he placed his lips near Dario's right nipple.

It felt so good to have Sonny in his arms, and Dario really wanted to give in – especially with how he could feel the air coming from Sonny's mouth on his skin. But he knew better because, in this moment, he felt he wouldn't be able to control himself. Pushing away from Sonny, he climbed out of bed, placed his hands over his morning wood, and announced, "I need to shower. I've got a long day ahead… I have a lot I need to do today."

* * *

 _Wednesday, January 15th, 2014_

* * *

Inside one of the therapy rooms of Diego Lopez's private practice, Sonny and Dario sat across from Diego, Sonny's therapist. Dario agreed to attend Sonny's therapy session hoping he could be of some help. He knew there were some things he and Sonny needed to process through, but so far nothing was really said. It all seemed very surface conversation.

"Sonny, you really haven't said too much in today's session. Is there a reason for that?" Diego asked to check in with his client. Though he had his own hypothesis, he wanted to see if Sonny would confirm his belief on why he shut down during this session. They had talked the previous week about Dario joining therapy to discuss his struggles in their relationship, but so far none of that was coming out.

Dario thought about what he knew of Sonny's therapy and the issues he was apparently working through. Sonny had told him some of the things he was processing such as the guilt he felt from his sexual relationship with Nicholas and Mathieu, but he never gave him full details on why he felt guilty and how much guilt he was actually experiencing. Looking over to Sonny, he wondered how he would respond to Diego's question.

Sonny shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and answered, "No. I guess I just don't have much to say. This is my… ninth or tenth session and I am doing a lot better now. I am feeling more like myself, I guess."

Dario bit his tongue watching Sonny try to convince Diego that he was completely fine. He had seen some improvement, but he wasn't completely sold on Sonny's recovery and by the dubious look on Diego's face, he wasn't either. Fearing his presence was the reason for Sonny's silence in today's session, he decided to say something, "If I need to leave, I can. If it would make you feel more comfortable talking…"

Even though time was limited, Diego turned to Sonny because he wanted to see how Sonny would respond. Unfortunately, Sonny didn't answer and only looked to him to say something. Feeling a tad disappointed, Diego held his hand up to respond to Dario. "That won't be necessary. We are out of time on this session anyway." Turning his attention to Sonny, he pronounced, "I'll just see you alone next week." He figured he could process Sonny's silence in this session in their next one since Dario wouldn't be there.

Sonny nodded his head before standing up; Dario followed suit. "Thanks for today. I will see you next week at the same time," Sonny released before heading out of the therapy room. Deep down, he had no intention of returning to therapy.

Dario tilted his head to Diego and said, "Thanks for letting me sit in." He followed Sonny trying to figure out a way he could check in with Sonny about everything.

Once they had left the therapy office, Dario waited until they were near Sonny's car to ask, "Are you really doing okay?"

Sonny grabbed Dario's hand and assured him, "I'm fine. As a matter of fact, I have been thinking… I want to end therapy. I don't need it anymore because I'm doing a lot better."

Dario really wanted to believe Sonny, but he cautioned, "Manny ended therapy prematurely and struggled a lot afterwards. I don't want to see the same thing happen to you."

Playfully pushing Dario against the hood of his car, Sonny smiled flirtatiously and said, "I just need you to trust me here."

Getting lost in how close Sonny's lips were to his, Dario stated, "I do, Sonny. I do trust you."

Sonny continued to tease Dario with his lips as he pulled out his keys from his car. He pushed the button to unlock the doors and then started the car. "We should take this back to my place then. What do you say?"

Dario grinned widely and lustfully. "I don't know if I can wait that long."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

After showering, Dario thoroughly dried off and wrapped a medium-sized blue towel around his waist before entering his bedroom once more. He headed to the dresser to pull out clothes to put on for work. He was thankful it was another short day.

Sonny, who still laid in bed, watched as Dario dropped the blue towel onto the clay tile floor. He couldn't help but graciously admire the view. It then hit him. Though Dario had a pair of briefs in his hands, he sure was taking his time with putting them on. What if Dario was purposely parading his body in front of him to show his impatience with Sonny's need to abstain from sex? When Dario finally put on the pair of bright orange briefs, Sonny commented, "You took a rather long shower."

It was a long shower, but it was also a cold one. Dario turned his head and smirked at Sonny. "I really needed it," he answered noting the way his fiancé was eyeing him. He put on a white T-shirt before stating, "Sorry to get dressed, but it's not a good idea for us to be naked in front of each other for too long." He then headed into his closet.

"Maybe you could call in…" Sonny suggested trying to pretend he didn't hear Dario's comment. It definitely sounded like confirmation that Dario was showing his impatience in not having sex. "Never mind," he quickly changed his tune. He didn't want to give Dario the wrong idea once more. "It's a short week for you. You should definitely go to work."

"You already know I couldn't have called in anyway," Dario replied as he walked back out to finish getting dressed.

Sonny sighed because he felt bad for how he continued to bait Dario into thinking he was ready to have sex again, but he realized how much he missed it too. He watched Dario put on the rest of his clothes and all he could do was imagine taking them off again. He couldn't go there – he still wasn't ready. Sighing heavily to release the tension in his body, he sat up, leaned against the headboard, and shared, "I'll have to figure out what I'm going to do before work."

Glancing at the cheval glass mirror to make sure he looked good, Dario became conscious of his passive aggressive behavior towards the man he loved so dearly. Reminding himself of what was most important, he smiled before heading towards Sonny. He leaned over and gave him a kiss. "You could get ready – maybe take a shower." He winked before saying, "I'll see you later tonight. I love you."

Before Dario could leave, Sonny swiftly grabbed Dario's pinky with his. Making eye contact, he said, "I promise to call you if I need anything."

Dario echoed, "I promise to call you too," before repeating, "I love you."

"I love you, Dario."

* * *

 _Sunday, August 3rd, 2014_

* * *

Arriving to The Meadows outside of Salem, Justin, Adrienne, and Dario supportively walked Sonny inside to check him in for a longer stay than his first. Everyone was quiet because no one knew what to say. This was so hard for everyone involved.

Once Sonny checked in, it was time to say goodbye. Sonny turned to the three who brought him there and began to have second thoughts on doing this. He tried to push through his apprehension by giving his parents hugs first. Holding each of them tightly, he took deep breaths hoping they would say something that would help him feel better about doing this, but no matter how encouraging they were, nothing seemed to alleviate his fears.

When it came time to face Dario, he thought back to the time he tried to stop his boyfriend from going to Alaska years before. "Are you sure you want to do this? You're not good at goodbyes, remember?" Maybe this could be his out.

Dario looked deep into Sonny's eyes and steadily maintained, "This isn't a goodbye."

Involuntary tears welled in Sonny's eyes because he couldn't help but feel how much he had disappointed them and himself. He was about to add to it because he couldn't escape the fears that repeatedly told him this was a bad idea. "I don't want to do this anymore. Can you just tell them I made a mistake and then take me home?"

Dario gently wiped the tears from Sonny's face before taking Sonny's pinky with his in an attempt to soothe him. "I promise this isn't forever. I will be here when you are released."

Nodding his head to physically show he heard Dario and agreed with him, Sonny focused on how bad things were at the moment. He had to do this. Pulling Dario into a hug, he whispered into his ear, "In a way this is still goodbye because I know I will be a different person when I am released. I have to be, right?"

Dario squeezed Sonny tight and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Do this for you, Sonny. You are so important."

* * *

 _Saturday, September 13th, 2014_

* * *

When it came time for Sonny's release from The Meadows, Dario decided to drive himself since he could not meet with Justin and Adrienne at the Kiriakis mansion. Arriving to the facility, he spotted Justin and Adrienne entering the building to take Sonny back to the Kiriakis mansion since their new place wasn't ready yet. With the current issues with Victor, Dario knew his reunion with Sonny would be short, but that did not matter to him. He couldn't wait to hold Sonny again. It had been too long since they last spoke.

Before he could close his car door, Dario was suddenly grabbed by a few of Victor's well-built men. They took him to the side and callously warned him to stay quiet. "Say a word and you'll regret it."

"What the hell are you doing?" Dario questioned as he struggled to break free.

One of Victor's men punched Dario in the gut before instructing another, "Gag him. We have to keep him detained until Sonny, Adrienne, and Justin leave."

Dario tried to yell through the gag, but it was of no use. He continued to try to break free while another man began to daringly search his pockets. Looking down, he realized the man found his cell and took it.

Knowing Dario was curious why they were taking his phone, the leader of the pack shared, "You are not allowed to interact with Sonny at all." He turned to the man who had Dario's cell and instructed, "Do what you need to do, and I'll tell you when you can put it in his car." Returning his attention to Dario, he claimed, "And before you go off blaming Victor for this, you should know this isn't an order from Mr. Kiriakis. This came from Sonny…"

Dario continued to struggle unsure what to believe.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Dario arrived for work at The Chill. When he made it to the studio in the basement, he found Chad and Josh already down there. They must have gotten an early start. "Hey guys."

Chad warmly smiled and jovially patted Dario on the back. "Hey man. How's Sonny?"

Thinking about the morning he and Sonny had, Dario focused on the positive, grinned, and answered, "Sonny is well. Things went great last night."

Before Chad could say anything else, his phone began to ring. Looking at the screen, he showed he was confused as he said, "I'll be back."

With Chad gone, Josh stood up and shook Dario's hand. "Can you help me set up for Marcus's band, The Crazy Exes?" After Dario agreed, he asked another question, "Can we practice later today since you had to cancel yesterday?"

Dario nodded his head again. "Sonny is working a later shift, so I am free to practice."

"Great," Josh released with a forced smile. He felt a bit uneasy and tried to keep his mind clear. "You said dinner with Sonny and his parents went great last night?"

Dario confirmed it with a nod before saying, "Dinner was great, and Sonny seemed relaxed." Noting something was off about Josh, he asked, "Are you alright, man?"

Josh decided to be honest – somewhat. "I'm just a bit stressed from life right now. I'm hoping work can help me clear my head."

Immediately agreeing with Josh, Dario replied, "I know what you mean. I hope so, too."


	8. Josh Ackles

**Chapter 8: Josh Ackles – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 **S** lowly and carefully entering his and Abby's bedroom in their spacious loft, Josh had a breakfast tray in his hands for Abby, who was still in bed. He knew she struggled with sleep all night and he wanted to do something to show his love and dedication to her.

Smelling the food, Abby woke up and began to rub her belly. She gladly took the tray from Josh and playfully asked, "Are you going to keep doing this even after our son is born?"

Josh carefully sat on the edge of the bed next to Abby's blanketed legs. "Of course I am. Do you remember what I said when I proposed to you?"

Abby took a sip of her freshly squeezed orange juice before saying, "I remember."

* * *

 _Friday, November 14th, 2014_

* * *

After a candlelit dinner and a romantic foreign film, Josh led Abby to sit on the bench in front of Tom and Alice Horton's plaque in the center of the Horton Town Square. He remained standing as Abby took a seat and asked, "Do you want a hot chocolate or coffee?"

Shaking her head, Abby moved over so Josh would sit. "I'm fine. I forgot to tell you that Chad told me he's throwing a party for Will's birthday. We really need to have some good things in our lives after what happened between Victor, Brady, and Peter." She looked up and noticed Josh was still standing. "Are you going to sit next to me?" She patted the bench wondering why Josh wouldn't sit down.

Josh diligently moved closer to Abby before kneeling on his right knee. "Abby…"

Before Josh could say anymore, Abby covered her mouth with both hands. "Oh…"

Josh smiled and could see the excitement in Abby's eyes. Reaching out for her right hand, he asked, "Can I have your hand?" When Abby enthusiastically gave Josh her hand, he pulled out a ring and proposed, "Abby Deveraux, we have known each other for years and have experienced many firsts together. I hope that today we can continue this journey with each other and explore many more firsts. Will you marry me?"

Abby fervently nodded her head and excitedly answered, "Yes. I will marry you." She had never been so sure about something in her life.

Once he put the ring on Abby's finger, Josh stood up and kissed Abby. "I am the luckiest man alive. I will spoil you so much, you will hardly leave our bed."

As Abby giggled with glee, Jennifer, Jack, Chelsea, JJ, and Qamar came out of hiding. Jennifer, Jack, and Chelsea congratulated the two as JJ revealed, "Qamar helped me record the proposal from a different angle. We thought it would be great if we edited a special video for your wedding."

Abby thanked Qamar before pulling JJ into a hug. "That was a great idea, bro. I'm so glad all of you could be here for this." Turning back to Josh, she took his hand and said, "You planned all of this?"

Josh proudly smiled and said, "I did. I love you Abby."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Now delicately resting his head on Abby's stomach, Josh looked up and randomly shared, "There was one night I almost proposed after we had sex."

Giving Josh the evil eye, Abby quickly admitted, "I would have said no."

Josh sat up again and proudly kissed Abby on the cheek. "That's why I love you. You expect more and don't settle for anything less." Pulling himself off the bed, he headed to his closet so he could get dressed for work.

Between bites, Abby reported, "I'm heading into work for a bit today."

As he fixed the collar of his polo, Josh turned his head to Abby and asked, "Are you really up for it?"

Abby nodded her head before saying, "Yes. I want to show mom the prints for my last story before my maternity leave time is set."

Returning his eyes to the mirror in front of him, Josh asked, "When do I get to see them?"

"Soon," Abby promised.

* * *

 _Friday, December 5th, 2015_

* * *

Excited by their engagement, Jen decided to throw an engagement party for Josh and Abby at Chez Rouge. After checking in with some of the guests, Jennifer returned to make sure Abby and Josh were having a good time. "Did you two eat anything yet?"

Abby nodded her head as she moved closer to her mom. "Thanks mom for doing all of this."

"We really appreciate it," Josh echoed his fiancé's gratitude.

Jen showed she did not mind doing this at all. "I just want you two to have fun tonight. I have everything covered so you two can relax."

Josh smiled appreciatively but shared, "You should have fun as well." He openly motioned his head towards Brandon.

Surprised to find out that Josh knew about Brandon, Jennifer looked to Abby, who had an annoyed expression on her face. Moving past the awkwardness, Jen promised, "I am having fun because I am the mother of the future bride." She looked past Abby and spotted Jack talking to Josh's parents. "I should go make sure Jack isn't bothering your parents. Have fun… and make sure you eat more."

With her mom gone, Abby quickly moved past her annoyance with Josh for revealing he knew about Jen and Brandon. She took her fiancé's hand and asked, "Is it weird to have your parents back in Salem even if it's just a visit?"

Josh shrugged his shoulders and confessed, "It's a tad weird, but I am glad that they took time off to come with such short notice. Things have definitely improved between us since The Chill took off. Mom and dad actually see my job as a legitimate profession now."

Abby eyed Josh's parents and moved in closer to him to whisper, "Do they think my profession is legitimate?"

"Of course they do," Josh adamantly claimed wondering why Abby would even ask.

Mayor White abruptly approached Josh and Abby interrupting their conversation. "Congratulations on the engagement. I couldn't help but overhear you discussing jobs." Turning her focus to Abby, she continued, "I wish you would come work for me."

Abby felt a bit uncomfortable as thoughts of Ezra entered her mind. "I appreciate the standing offer, but I am happy at _The Salem Spectator_." She couldn't help but wonder how Ezra's mom was doing.

Deciding she didn't have anything else to say, Rachel congratulated Abby and Josh once more. "I hope the best for the two of you." She walked off seeing someone else she needed to talk to.

After the mayor walked away, Abby raised her eyes and commented, "She sure is persistent."

Knowing Ezra worked for the mayor, Josh couldn't help but wonder if Ezra was the reason the mayor wanted Abby to work for her so bad. He decided not to bring up Ezra and instead asked, "Are you thirsty? I'll go grab a couple of drinks."

"Thanks."

Josh headed for the refreshment table unintentionally bumping into Kristen. "Surprised to see you here," he remarked.

"I hope you are taking good care of Jennifer's daughter," Kristen commented clearly amused with herself.

Reflecting on what Abby told him about Kristen and Peter, Josh keenly asked, "Did your brother decide to stay away?"

Kristen eyed Josh for a moment before answering, "Even though things are peaceful between Peter and Jen, I told him not to come to avoid any drama between him and Jack. The spotlight should be on Abby and you today, and I know how prone Jack is to dramatic antics."

Trying to stand up for Abby's dad, Josh aptly pointed out, "And what about your brother? Peter was awfully dramatic with how he pulled a gun out on Brady over Titan. On the other hand, Jack has gotten better with downplaying his big personality for Abby's sake, so even if your histrionic brother showed up today, I believe Jack would have made sure to keep things peaceful."

Looking the room over, Kristen smirked as she told Josh, "You know, you're really good at kissing ass – almost too good."

* * *

 _Friday, December 12th, 2014_

* * *

Arriving to Nicholas and Gabi's apartment, Josh and Abby greeted both with hugs thanking them for throwing an unofficial engagement party for their closest friends. After Will, Chad, Dario, Sonny, Melanie, Nathan, Chelsea, and Cameron arrived, Gabi took Carter's hand and announced, "We're going to play our first game, so if you'll all follow me to the dining room…"

Everyone followed Gabi to the dining room where a pile of toilet paper rolls was placed upon the table. "What's going on here?" Nicholas asked with confusion. He didn't even know Gabi pulled all of these out.

Gabi smiled as she shared, "We are going to play a game of _Toilet Paper Wedding Dress_. Everyone will need to pair up. One person from each team will decorate the other using the toilet paper to make a fashionable wedding dress. Whoever has the best one gets a prize!"

Chelsea and Cameron looked at each other and raised their eyebrows figuring they would have to be a team even though they weren't dating. "This should be interesting," Chelsea commented hoping to downplay the awkwardness of doing this.

"You can decorate me," Cameron offered hoping to make this more playful.

As Chelsea grabbed a roll, Will and Chad played rock, paper, scissors to decide who would wear the dress on their team and Dario and Sonny figured they would have a better chance at winning if Sonny decorated Dario.

"You are wearing the dress as well," Melanie informed her husband before turning to her brother and Gabi. "Are you two playing or are you judging?"

Gabi smiled and leaned into Nicholas deciding that they could play. "What do you say?"

"Sure," Nicholas shrugged his shoulders. He wanted to avoid showing any of the tension he was feeling inside.

Carter jumped on Nicholas and unnecessarily shouted, "I want to play, too!"

Gabi smiled and told Carter, "You can help Nicholas!"

Nicholas forced a smile though, deep down, he wished they had found a sitter for Carter so they could enjoy the night more. "So let's play…"

"How much time do we get?" Josh asked.

Gabi pulled out her phone and answered, "I'll set the timer for five minutes. That should be long enough, right?"

As his sister set the time, Dario turned to Sonny and asked, "Are you up for this game?"

"Yeah…" Sonny released. He wanted to enjoy tonight, but he felt a bit awkward because it was weird to think about marrying Dario at this point.

Gabi asked if everyone was ready before saying, "And go!"

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

After kissing Abby and her belly, Josh got into his car and started it up. He turned down the radio because he forgot he had it on full blast when he returned home the day before. Putting on his seatbelt, his phone suddenly made a noise. He received a text message.

Grabbing his phone, Josh unlocked his phone to read what the text message said. It was from an unknown sender. "Fuck this…" Josh released after reading it. He decided to ignore it before driving off.

* * *

 _Monday, June 29th, 2015_

* * *

Josh stood on the pier looking out towards the water. With his hands in the front pockets of his cargo shorts, he quietly sighed because he was so annoyed that someone asked him to come to the pier via text. Unsure what he was doing out here, he questioned if this was a good idea.

Suddenly, Ezra appeared. He approached Josh and claimed, "Josh, you're in trouble." Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone to show Josh something.

Josh stepped back still questioning if he made a mistake in coming to the pier. Ignoring what Ezra was trying to do, he demanded to know, "What are we doing here?"

"Look," Ezra instructed Josh as he moved closer. His focus was on his phone and he wanted Josh to see what he had on the screen. "Someone sent this to me."

Still a bit hesitant, Josh slowly looked over to see what was on Ezra's phone screen. "What's that?" he questioned as he squinted his eyes to look at the screen shot. After a second, it hit him. He recognized what he was looking at. Looking at Ezra once again, he quickly pushed him down to the ground. "How the hell did you get that? Are you really trying to blackmail me so I will back out on marrying Abby?"

Ezra defensively picked himself up and dusted himself off. "You've got me all wrong. I'm not trying to blackmail you. Like I said, someone sent it to me. I thought I would warn you that this is circulating. I promise you…"

"Bullshit," Josh released to shut Ezra up before Ezra continued his attempt to put him at ease. "Whatever you're trying to pull here it's not going to work. Leave me alone and stay the hell away from Abby." Josh stormed off leaving Ezra alone on the pier.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Closing up shop after they had finished recording with the last band, Chad took Will's hand and told Josh and Dario, "Don't stay too late. Enjoy your evening because you'll wish for a break the next two weeks."

"See you guys later," Will said leading Chad out.

With Chad and Will gone, Josh walked into the live room and grabbed two guitars. He handed one to Dario and asked, "Are you ready to practice?"

Dario nodded his head and strummed a few chords before saying, "Let's do this." After Josh gave him a nod, Dario began to play the intro to the song when Josh began to play a warm melody on his guitar.

* * *

 _Saturday, December 12th, 2015_

* * *

Josh and Abby decided on a winter wedding before the holidays. Standing in front of their families and friends in St. Luke's, Josh started his vows first. "Abby, I promise to do everything with you and make sure you never feel alone or neglected," he released lovingly holding her hands. "I vow I will never give up on you no matter the situation, and I will push you to grow as I hope you will push me to do the same. I love you Abby, and I am here today to tell you I will never stop. I'm yours 100%."

Abby had to let go of Josh's hands to wipe the tears that were coming from her face. Fortunately, Chelsea was next to her and had some tissues she could use. Glancing into the audience, she smiled when she saw the joy in everyone's faces. She returned her focus so she could begin her vows. "Josh, I vow that I will not hide from you and will never keep you in the dark on how I am feeling or what I am thinking. I want a partnership as well where we can help each other grow to be better people to each other and to everyone else around us. I love you, Josh, and I will do my part to make sure we work together to navigate this crazy world. You are mine, and I am yours, and I promise that nothing will be able to separate us."

Josh turned and saw his parents had huge grins on their faces and tears coming from their eyes. He didn't know how life got to be so great.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

After they finished practicing, Josh and Dario walked out of The Chill. Looking up to the sky, Josh exhaled, "Looks like it will be a quiet night."

Ready to get home, so he could figure out dinner for him and Sonny, Dario agreed, locked up, and patted Josh on the back. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya…" Josh headed for his car. When he sat in the driver's seat, he grabbed his phone deciding to call Abby to let her know he was on his way home. He figured she may want him to pick up a McDonald's McFlurry since she had been craving those a lot.

Before he could call his wife, Josh received another text message that read: "Have you come to a decision yet? Are you willing to pay the price to save your marriage?"


	9. EJ DiMera

**Chapter 9: EJ DiMera – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

"I despise the waiting game…" EJ sat with his sister, Lexie, in the hotel restaurant for an early morning breakfast in Sacramento, California.

Lexie gave EJ an encouraging look as she affirmed, "I think you impressed our dinner date last night."

"I hope so," EJ exhaled before continuing, "…because I want to solidify the positive direction of the family. I want to be certain everything is set for our future."

Reflecting on the direction of the family, Lexie replied, "Don't worry, brother. This will all work out for everyone."

EJ took a sip of his fresh cup of coffee and reflected on how much was at stake here. He knew Lexie was only trying to encourage him because she was aware of how easily this could turn on them if they didn't play everything right. "There is still a lot we do not know," he nervously released as he put his cup down on the small table. "I believe there is another voice behind the scenes, but I'm not exactly certain who this person could be yet."

Lexie looked on mentally recognizing the fact that she had the same feeling.

* * *

 _Wednesday, July 30th, 2014_

* * *

EJ opened the front door to find Kristen and Peter Blake standing before him, Sami, Will, and Chad; all four were surprised to see them there. "What the hell?" he released.

Kristen stepped in front of her brother nodding at everyone who stood in the foyer of the DiMera mansion. "EJ, Sami, Chad, Will… It's good to see all of you," she stated through a smile before proudly declaring, "Peter and I are here because we've decided to move to Salem permanently for business and family."

Glancing at his wife, EJ thought about the plans he and Sami made to celebrate their anniversary. "Is this a joke?"

Sami was dumbfounded as well. Directing her eyes to Kristen and Peter, she pressingly questioned, "Did Stefano put you up to this?" Her eyes moved to the stairs as she contemplated checking on the kids.

Peter and Kristen boldly walked into the familiar mansion. "I assure you, my sister and I have nothing to do with Stefano," Peter claimed as he noted the place had changed since the last time he saw it.

"I think we all remember Stefano's last faux funeral," Kristen unfavorably mentioned. "We know of the negative consequences of having anything to do with that man."

"I remember how you two went after Stefano," Chad acknowledged before pointing out, "…but you also praised his sister Maddalena. She is not innocent either."

Noting that Chad disrespectfully called his father by his name, Kristen placed her hands on her hips and argued, "No one can claim they are innocent."

Chad knew he wasn't innocent, but in his mind there were others who were. He grabbed Will's hand and questioned, "Have you met my boyfriend, Will? Stefano and Maddalena toyed with Will and almost destroyed his life…"

Feeling a sense of discomfort, Will pulled on Chad's hand to make him stop. It was so weird standing in front of Kristen again, especially knowing how his grandmother, Marlena, sold her into sex slavery to keep her out of Salem. When Chad made eye contact with him, Will fretted, "I'd rather not talk about that."

Deciding to take control of this conversation, EJ stepped between Chad, Will, Kristen, and Peter. "Chad and Will, can you please go upstairs and check on the kids?"

Chad hesitated for a moment because he wasn't one to just listen to his brother outright. "I want to stay," he informed his brother while keeping his eyes on Peter and Kristen.

When EJ tensed up physically, Will swiftly took hold of Chad's hand and pushed, "We should check on Johnny, Julian, and Sydney."

Noting the intense look from his boyfriend, Chad conceded and followed Will up the stairs.

Before EJ or Sami could say anything, Peter commented, "I'm impressed with Chad. I'm also impressed with how you seem to have the house in order, EJ."

EJ didn't need or want validation from Peter and Kristen. He also wished they hadn't shown up like this considering they currently lacked the proper security on the premises. Putting the state of security to the back of his mind, he breathed, "Samantha and I do not have time for this little interruption as we have plans we will not cancel."

Sami placed her hand on EJ's arm to stop him. "EJ, it's okay. I really want to know what these two are truly doing here."

Shaking her head, Kristen promptly reminded Sami, "We already told you why we're here. We're moving back to Salem."

"Why?" Sami asked without hesitation. She didn't trust Kristen for anything.

"Did Maddalena send you to clean up the mess she made and to make another attempt to take over the family?" EJ followed up with.

Kristen moved closer to EJ and looked deeply into his eyes. "I am on your side. While I was masquerading around as Diana, I made sure that The Chill and DiMera Enterprises got as much positive publicity as possible. I am pro-DiMera!" When EJ remained silent, she pushed forward, "I remember holding you as a baby, EJ…"

"Don't," EJ quickly interrupted Kristen. He wasn't going to let Kristen's attempt at being motherly towards him slide. "You are not my mother and never were… Maddalena already tried…"

Before things escalated, Peter put his hands out. "Before you jump to anymore conclusions, I can assure you that my sister and I don't want any part of the family business because we have business of our own to run. We only came here in person to tell you that we are not a threat."

EJ looked on wondering what business they had in Salem. Scratching the top of his head, he exhaled, "If you two plan to continue with this vagueness, you can leave and return when you are ready to be completely forthcoming."

Taking her husband's lead, Sami moved to his side and said, "You can leave the premises now."

Peter and Kristen knew what they had to do at this point. They had to comply. Heading for the door, Peter allowed his sister to walk out first before promising EJ and Sami once last thing. "You will have your answers soon enough."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

As the traffic in the restaurant began to pick up, EJ noted his sister was eyeing her cell phone. He knew Lexie was waiting for news and was just as nervous about this deal as him. To distract her, he moved his head in closer and asked, "How is Theo? Have you checked in on him since we left?"

Lexie smiled widely as she shared, "Theo is having fun with Brandon and Cameron when he's not in school. I am a bit nervous about the mess I will find at home when we return though. I've heard Theo has eaten a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches since I left."

EJ's phone began to ring causing both to jerk suddenly. "Is it them?" Lexie asked.

"No," EJ denied it when he looked at the screen. "It's my _other_ sister… Jade." He answered. "Hello?"

Skipping all formalities, Jade told her brother through a slightly different accent than her brother's, "EJ, I want to convene with you in the office or at home as soon as you return from California."

EJ raised his eyebrow as he replied, "This sounds urgent; everything okay?"

"It is urgent," Jade bellowed. "I have a new business concept for DiMera Enterprises!"

* * *

 _Wednesday, October 1st, 2014_

* * *

EJ walked down the hall of the fifth floor of the Salem Inn and stopped in front of one of the rooms before lightly tapping against the door. He could hear a woman's voice on the other side claim, "I did not order room service this time." It was definitely a voice he recognized.

The door opened. Susan stood in the room shocked to see EJ there. She tried to close the door immediately, but EJ managed to stop her in time and ask, "Mother, what on earth do you think you're doing?" Peering his head inside the room, he spotted Edmund relaxing on one of the beds while watching television.

"Hello, Elvis." Edmund greeted EJ like it was nothing.

Realizing there was no way out of this, Susan allowed EJ to enter the room. "How did you find us, Elvis?"

EJ gave his mother a knowing look. "What are you doing here with Edmund?" he repeated his question.

Susan didn't plan to answer her son's question, but she didn't have to. Edmund gladly volunteered the information EJ wanted. "We came because Susan wants to keep an eye on you to make sure you are safe."

Susan turned and gave her husband an evil look. "Edmund…"

"Why?" EJ questioned catching his mother's attention once more. "What makes you think I'm not safe?" A part of him wondered if Stefano reached out to her.

Susan shot her head out towards EJ and explained, "I found out about Kristen's return to Salem, and I know that woman is up to no good because she is evil, evil, evil."

EJ rolled his eyes and assured his mother, "I am fine, mother. Kristen is not a threat."

Shaking her head with disappointment, Susan raised her finger at EJ and stated, "Now Elvis, do not drop your guard around that shameless woman. You do not know her like I do."

Jade abruptly joined the others inside the room with snacks in her hands. Realizing there was now an extra person in the room from when she left, she tugged on her brother's arm rather enthusiastically. "You located us!"

EJ gave his little sister a hug as Edmund spoke, "We couldn't leave Elvira Jade behind since she's homeschooled."

Jade was so ecstatic that she didn't have to sneak around anymore. "Being homeschooled in Salem has attained a tad more excitement in my life, but I still loathe, loathe, loathe the actuality that mom is my teacher and dad is my history and gym instructor." Tugging on EJ's arm even more, she requested, "Can you please communicate to them once more why I don't need to be homeschooled any longer? Stefano has been neutralized and is no longer a threat."

EJ looked at the sister he barely knew. He figured this was something he would be accustomed to by now but Jade was definitely an interesting adjustment. "It's still true, but I need you all to start packing so you can return home."

Giving her son a stern look, Susan declared, "We are not leaving until Kristen is buried deep, deep, deep in the ground."

As Jade continued to tug on his arm, EJ sighed despairingly unsure what to do.

* * *

 _Thursday, January 15th, 2015_

* * *

Months later, EJ met with Chad, Dario, and Will to discuss business when Jade stopped by. After crossing his arms so Jade couldn't grab onto them, EJ gave his young sister his full attention. "Does mother know you're here?"

"She doesn't," Jade disclosed as she moved closer to EJ while ignoring the others in the room. "I want to confer with you on something crucial before I speak to my parents actually."

Spotting the uncomfortable tension permeating from EJ's body, Dario stood up and offered, "We can give you some privacy if you need." Chad and Will stood up as well to wait for EJ's response.

EJ stood up and buttoned his suit coat. "Please," he released before walking towards Jade with his arms still crossed. With Will, Dario, and Chad gone, he nervously exhaled, "What can I do for you, Jade?"

"I wish to be a resident of Salem."

A few minutes of silence followed Jade's pronouncement because EJ was caught off guard. He wasn't sure how to respond without offending his sister. Allowing some confusion to show in his face, EJ lightly mentioned, "You are already living in Salem."

Laughing off her brother's response, Jade threw her hand and clarified, "Mum and Dad have expressed they want to return to England, and I aspire to dwell here in Salem to culminate my studies at Salem High… no more homeschool." She dusted herself off and cleared her throat before summarizing, "I wish to make my stay a more permanent one."

EJ lowered his hands so they landed near his hips. With some careful caution, he reminded her, "But you're having issues with fitting in here… in Salem."

Jade reflected on the difficulties she had with connecting with peers, but she wasn't one to give up. "I am growing as a person so much here. You have to let me stay with you."

Before EJ could respond, Kristen entered the room with Peter behind her. "We saw Dario, Chad, and Will walk out so we assumed you were done with your meeting." Eyeing Jade, she moved closer to EJ's little sister and warmly asked, "Who is this young and beautiful woman?"

EJ shook his head and simply told Kristen and Peter. "Not now." He knew his mother definitely did not want Jade anywhere near Kristen and Peter.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

After EJ ended the call with Jade, he sighed hopelessly, "It seems Jade has another idea to run by me," before lamenting, "I feel bad because she hasn't had a good business idea yet."

Lexie shamelessly smiled at EJ's small problem but still tried to encourage him by pointing out, "She's still young and learning. Maybe she has come up with something good this time."

EJ doubted it because business was definitely not in Jade's wheelhouse. "I don't want to disappoint her again – especially when I promised my mother I'd keep an eye on her."

Giving EJ an understanding look, Lexie asked, "How is Sami handling Jade when you're away from Salem?"

"Samantha told me she hasn't seen much of her actually," EJ answered.

Lexie raised her eyebrows. "Is that a good thing?"

EJ thought about it before answering, "I'm not so sure."

Suddenly, EJ's phone began to ring causing Lexie's face to light up once more. EJ knew she wanted to know who was calling so he told her. "Our baby brother is calling," he shared before picking up. "Chad…"

* * *

 _Tuesday, January 27th, 2015_

* * *

EJ and Eric met up to have lunch together in a parking lot close to JoJo's Southern Steakhouse, Adrienne's new restaurant. As Eric led the way, EJ announced, "So I got something for Sydney's birthday tomorrow, and I think it will definitely make her year." Realizing where they were eating, EJ scratched the side of his neck as he studied the very warm and welcome entrance. "Are you sure it's a good idea we eat here?"

Pulling his attention from his phone, Eric informed his brother-in-law, "Nathan isn't going to make it because the baby is sick and Melanie is too exhausted," before answering EJ's earlier question, "Adrienne won't kick you out because you're a DiMera. I'm sure I've seen Peter and Kristen here in the past."

EJ followed Eric inside and noted that the place looked completely different than before, but the music playing was the same genre played when it was The Cheatin' Heart. Looking the crowd over, he quickly spotted Kristen and Peter, but they were not alone. Jade was sitting with them. Rushing over, he swiftly asked, "What is this?" He put his focus completely on his sister as he mentioned, "It's a school day. Why aren't you at school?"

Calm, Jade informed her brother, "It's my free period. I'm simply connecting with more people who reside in Salem."

EJ turned to Peter and Kristen and knew he needed to tread carefully since Peter and Kristen worked for him. At the same time, he wanted to be sure to get his point across. He did not want them to bring more drama to the family, and he wanted them to stay the hell away from them outside of work. "Jade doesn't need any encouragement in showing poor judgment or to ignore her responsibilities. This lunch does not seem work related and Jade is not work related either."

Embarrassed by how EJ was handling her, Jade tried to stop her brother from saying more. "Elvis…" she released.

EJ quickly turned his attention back to his sister. "Jade, you need to get back to school this instant. I know your schedule completely, so I know you do not have a free period since you're only a junior and you have classes to make up. School is the reason you wanted to stay in Salem, correct?"

Mortified now, Jade shook her head in frustration at EJ, grabbed her things, and rushed out of the restaurant.

EJ pulled out his wallet and threw some cash on the table. "That should cover whatever she planned to eat."

Before EJ could walk away with Eric, Peter stopped them from leaving by saying EJ's name. "You and Eric should join Kristen and me. We have the room now."

Eric knew EJ did not want to have lunch with Peter and Kristen, so he stepped in. "Actually, I need to talk to EJ in private about my sister," he covered.

Giving Eric a thankful nod, EJ told Peter and Kristen. "Maybe another time."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

EJ ended the call with Chad feeling concerned by the news his brother shared. He placed his phone down and noted his sister was on the phone now, but she had a smile on her face.

"I will tell EJ the good news," Lexie informed the person on the other side. "We will be in contact. Thanks again. Bye." Ending the call, she looked to EJ and announced, "The deal is a go, so we can head home to set things up for the next meeting."

EJ was pleased by the news, but he couldn't stop thinking about what Chad told him on the phone. "Good. We need to head back to Salem A.S.A.P.!" Internally, he told himself he needed to make sure Peter and Kristen remained in the dark about what he and Lexie were doing in Sacramento.


	10. Kristen Blake

**Chapter 10: Kristen Blake – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 **R** esiding now in the old Martin mansion in Salem, Kristen found her brother poring over a stack of paperwork in the main study. "Looking into the sudden disappearance of Roman Brady?"

Peter stopped what he was doing and earnestly rubbed the bottom of his chin. "Something is definitely up. I will tell Alessandro to keep us informed on what is happening."

Kristen wrapped her arms around her shoulders. She felt a coldness hit her that told her something was wrong. Though she did not actually have a sixth sense for these things, she continually struggled with the idea that darkness always followed her. She was able to manage it more now for the most part, but this time felt different. "I hope no one else disappears on us. I wonder if Alessandro will be able to find Stefano and Roman."

Delphi Blake-Lee, Ezra's mother, entered the room in a powered wheelchair and announced to her husband, "I just got off the phone with Ezra."

"Is he still upset with me?" Peter asked.

Confirming it, Delphi urged, "You should really talk to him."

Kristen raised her eyes at her brother and warned, "You should drop what you're doing before things get worse." She believed Peter was trying to intervene in Ezra's life just as he did in her life. From her experience, she understood why Ezra was set on keeping his distance from his somewhat estranged father.

Standing up, Peter showed impatience as he groaned, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kristen now rolled her eyes. She was done trying to talk sense into her brother because taking responsibility was something he truly struggled with. "I have a lunch date," she broadcasted to make her escape.

Giving his sister a disappointed look now, Peter shook his head. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

Delphi maneuvered around so she could return the judgmental look Kristen gave Peter earlier. Deciding to echo the advice Kristen gave to Peter, she warned, "You better drop what you're doing before things get worse."

Grabbing her purse, Kristen strongly maintained, "I have a plan, and I won't let either of you or anyone else get in the way. Good day. See you in the office later, Peter."

* * *

 _Sunday, October 27th, 2013_

* * *

In the original Blake mansion, outside of Salem, Alessandro arrived in Maddalena's place to meet with Peter, Kristen, and Delphi. "So what exactly is the plan?" he questioned with his arms crossed over his chest.

Peter looked to his sister and noted she was texting and smiling. Interrupting whatever she was doing, he asked, "Kristen, do you want to tell everyone the plan?"

Kristen put her phone away and continued to smile. "I would love to." Crossing over to Alessandro, she shared, "We are returning to Salem to stake a claim in how the town is ran. We will make an offer to EJ he cannot refuse."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Driving to her destination in her silver fully-equipped vehicle, Kristen decided to make a call. The phone rang over the speakers of her car until a message came on: " _The person you are trying to contact has an inbox that has not been set up. Please try this caller again at another time_."

Kristen ended the call and wondered aloud, "Where is he? I hope he hasn't gone M.I.A. like Roman or got caught up in whatever happened to Roman." The uncertainty was really getting to her, and, though she tried to fight it, she could not escape the fear in her heart. Remembering the dark feeling she felt back at home, she hoped something grave didn't happen. "Please don't let things turn again… Not when I'm so close…"

Kristen arrived to her destination and parked her car. Before she could get out, she spotted Brady and watched him walk in. Accepting her limited control and power in this situation, she breathed, "So much has already changed, and I know it's not over."

* * *

 _Sunday, October 27th, 2013_

* * *

"What's this offer that EJ won't be able to refuse?" Alessandro assertively questioned.

Peter rested his hands on the arms of the wheelchair he was in and shared, "My wife has strong ties to a powerful family, but she ran away from that family after we got involved."

Not in the mood to discuss her family, Delphi stepped forward and said, "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I have a huge stake in Titan Industries. I have managed to buy many shares over the last year thanks to Victor's name being dragged through the mud." She handed Alessandro a sheet of paper. "I managed to collect forty percent of the shares by the time everything went down in Urbino, Italy – part of that is Philip Kiriakis's shares which I _strategically_ convinced him to give up."

Remembering how Maddalena had plans for Victor and Titan, Alessandro wondered if they were sticking with the original plan. He knew Delphi wasn't completely aware she was working for Maddalena at first believing she was doing all of this as a favor to Kristen since Kristen was the one to approach her to perform this specific task. He inquired, "What are you planning to do with Titan?"

"This was part of your nonna's plan to bring down Victor," Kristen mentioned clearly unaware that Alessandro was already aware of this fact. "With Maddalena out of commission, we decided to use this plan to make the family stronger."

Before Kristen could continue, Alessandro decided to set something straight first. "Maddalena is not out of commission."

"I don't believe you," Peter called him out. "She isn't around and hasn't been for the past month." Moving on, he directed, "We need to carry out this mission to get in the good graces of the DiMera family."

Alessandro shook his head and admitted, "I have my doubts you will be able to accomplish what you hope. Forty percent of the shares isn't enough to take over Titan."

Kristen agreed with Alessandro. "It's not enough." Glancing down at her phone, she shared, "I had a moment with Brady Black in Urbino; there was a spark. I'm hoping we can use his shares to win the majority we need."

"We aren't finished buying out others' shares," Delphi added. "There are a few more investors we are working on, but we need information because I know Victor has something over those who are not budging – he has to have files on them somewhere."

With a smile on his face, Peter beamed, "This is where my son comes in. Ezra told me he wanted no part in the DiMera plot or the family. He craves a normal life, so I sent him away while making him believe it was his own idea to work for the mayor of Salem. With him distracted there, Ezra has no idea he's in the perfect place for us to get the information we need since there are rumblings Victor desperately wants Titan to host the New Year's Eve bash this year in the Horton Town Square."

"And what exactly is my part in all of this?" Alessandro emphatically questioned. He was not a fan when Maddalena ordered him around, so he wasn't going to sit around and let others who weren't his grandmother do the same.

Leaning against the table, Kristen informed him, "We need you to keep Maddalena at bay if she is indeed still with us, and we also need you to look for Stefano to make sure he doesn't try to come back. He disappeared in Urbino."


	11. We Could Be Taking Over, Part 1

**Chapter 11: We Could Be Taking Over, Part 1 – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 **E** verything doesn't always go to plan. The story doesn't end with happily ever after every single time. Change is constant. There's no escaping something or someone trying to get in the way of one's happiness. Sometimes others think they know what someone needs more than he or she does. Sometimes others believe their needs are more important than the needs of others.

* * *

 _Sunday, December 29th, 2013_

* * *

At a Chicago Airport, Sonny and Dario were quietly waiting at their gate for their flight back to Salem. Since he was getting the silent treatment from Sonny, Dario decided to push him a bit to see if he could get him to open up. "I hope you know that you could have stayed with the family to bring in the New Year," he shared hoping to make some peace.

Sonny shook his head and finally spoke. "No, I couldn't have. We promised we would stick together over the holidays."

Taking Sonny's hand and kissing it, Dario insisted, "I wish we could have stayed longer, too, but I told Gabi I would be there for the reopening of the pub, and Chad really needs our help since Will isn't getting any better." He also thought about how he was starting classes at Salem University in a few weeks.

Shaking his head again, Sonny bleakly admitted, "I wonder sometimes if we're all not getting any better."

There it was – Sonny's depression. Dario tried to cheer Sonny up by reminding him, "We all had a great time for your birthday yesterday." He smiled as he described the night. "We did karaoke. You and your brothers did a kick ass version of Backstreet Boys' _I Want It That Way_."

A grin crept on Sonny's face as he remembered the performances the night before. "I liked our duet more even though I totally butchered Christina Aguilera's part in _Si No Te Hubiera Conocido_."

Dario leaned in and kissed Sonny on the cheek. "You will always be my favorite duet partner."

Coming down the terminal, Delphi informed Alessandro, "I am getting together with Ezra tonight to make sure everything is in place. My son and Mayor White are meeting with Victor tomorrow to discuss plans for Salem's New Year's Eve Party in the town square since Titan Industries is indeed sponsoring it. Business is really slow, and Victor is doing whatever necessary to help sales increase while bettering their image."

Delphi cleared her throat feeling guilty for having to use her son to accomplish this task. After checking the time, she continued, "I will plant the device on my son, and it is my hope we will then have access to the information we need to convince the rest of the big shareholders to sell their shares."

Still skeptical of the plan, Alessandro wondered if he had made the right decision in helping the Blake family. Looking ahead, he spotted Dario and Sonny sitting near the gate for their flight and stopped Delphi from walking closer. How could this be? "It appears my brother and his lover are on the same flight as us. You may need to change your seat around so they do not put two and two together if they see the both of us. I will head to the bathroom while you do this." He wanted to avoid his brother at all costs because the last time he saw Dario was when Dario chased him around the destroyed castle in Urbino.

As Alessandro headed to the men's room, Delphi approached the attendants at the gate's check-in desk unnoticed by Dario and Sonny. "Excuse me. I wanted to see if I could buy the extra first-class seat next to me…" While the attendant looked up the information on his computer, Delphi looked up and noticed Sonny was now sitting alone. She wondered where Dario went.

Figuring enough time had passed, Alessandro walked out of the bathroom and bumped into Dario. He locked eyes with his half-brother and figured there was nothing he could do to avoid this. "Dario…"

Dario couldn't believe Alessandro was in front of him, but he didn't have time to really process the news. He quickly pushed Alessandro gently against the wall so he wouldn't try to get away. Staring right into Alessandro's eyes, he tried to study them as he remembered growing up with Alessandro before he and his mother suddenly disappeared. He recalled confronting Alessandro at the concert Chad put together for Will as well as when he tried to chase him down when he was searching for help for Will in the DiMera castle in Urbino. So many questions ran through his head, but he decided to stick with two first. "What the hell are you doing in Chicago? Are you following me and Sonny?"

"No," Alessandro immediately denied. "I didn't even know you were here."

Focusing on the last time he saw Alessandro in the States, Dario felt his anger increase within him. He managed to keep it from getting the better of him though. "You were working behind the scenes with Ignazio trying to get Chad drunk at the concert for Will. Why were you and Ignazio set on destroying Chad?"

Alessandro eyed the hand Dario had on him to keep him against the wall. Dario took the hint and removed his hand. "We did it for you," Alessandro unapologetically shared. "I hoped that if you saw Chad crash and burn you would be persuaded not to give into your homosexual desires." He looked towards the gate and zealously commented, "You and Sonny are here together, right? Tell me… How is your life going now? How is your heart doing?"

Alessandro hit a nerve. Looking down, Dario began to reflect on how difficult it had been with Sonny, and even remembered when Ignazio told him that Sonny would continually break his heart which would eventually make him go crazy – just like André. But he didn't want Alessandro to know how hard it was for him and his heart. "Things are still working together," he claimed wondering what exactly happened to Alessandro after he disappeared with his mother.

"I am sad Ignazio and I failed you from repeating the same life as our father, André," Alessandro lamented.

Dario wanted to punch Alessandro, but he held it together. "You keep mentioning Ignazio. Do you know anything about him… do you know what happened to him in Urbino after everything came down?"

Alessandro shook his head. "I believe our dear brother Ignazio is dead unfortunately. I have not seen him since Italy." Dusting himself off, he straightened out his shirt before saying, "I hope you have a good life, Dario. I expect we really do not have anything more to say to each other."

Dario watched as Alessandro walked off. Alessandro was once his closest friend growing up, but now even though they knew they were brothers, they were not close at all.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Wednesday, January 1st, 2014_

* * *

At the Blake mansion outside of Salem, Kristen looked at her phone because she had received a text message from Delphi stating that they managed to uncover some information on the shareholders and were sifting through the rest of the encrypted files they had downloaded. Soon they would know their next step.

Kristen was very happy to hear this news and quickly texted back: "Happy New Year. Enjoy it with your son before you have to return."

Soon after, Kristen received a photo from Brady on her phone. Studying the picture, she noticed it appeared Brady brought the new year in at the Brady Pub. She smiled as she spotted a few familiar faces and frowned when she saw some she wished she hadn't. Brady's next text came through; it read: "Happy New Year. Can I get a picture of where you celebrated?"

Kristen placed her fingers near her mouth knowing she could not send Brady a picture because she hadn't revealed her identity to Brady yet. "Maybe I can give him an inch," she whispered to herself before she took the plunge and dialed his number.

Brady immediately answered, "Hi… Please tell me I'm finally about to know who I've been crushing on this entire time..."

Manually disguising her voice a bit, Kristen answered, "You need to be a little patient, but I did want to hear your voice."

"Your voice does sound familiar," Brady admitted. "Have we talked in person before?"

Kristen refrained from telling Brady who she was still. "I promise you will know who I am this year."

Brady was a tad upset he didn't get his secret admirer's name, but he did enjoy the tease. "Don't make me wait too long."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Thursday, March 27th, 2014_

* * *

While Peter did his PT exercises, Kristen and Delphi entered the main room where most of their things were already packed in boxes. "You're doing a lot better these days, Peter," Kristen encouraged him.

"Your determination to not let anything keep you down is truly inspiring, sweetheart." Delphi carefully helped Peter sit down again as she shared some good news. "We are close to our target number of shares."

Kristen headed over to the mini bar and poured herself a glass of water. "I think it would help if you joined us to collect the last few. We need to make a stop in Paris to get more information from Titan's offices there."

Clasping her hands together, Delphi sighed, "I am happy we will be finished soon because I'm ready to move back to Salem. Ezra seems more open to being a part of the family again after my last visit, and I just miss him so much."

Peter rubbed the sore area of his left leg as he declared, "We are not moving to Salem until I am comfortable walking and no longer need my chair."

Biting her tongue, Kristen traded a look with Delphi. Both knew that could take some time.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Tuesday, April 8th, 2014_

* * *

In the Paris offices of Titan Industries, Delphi and Kristen sat in Jean-Luc's office. Jean-Luc offered both women a drink before taking his own seat behind his desk. Even though English was his second language, he still had a good hold on it. "As long as this is off the record, I will admit I am not a huge fan of Victor, but honestly he's not a huge fan of mine. The cuts in my paycheck reflect this."

Kristen sat up in her chair as she asked, "And what are your thoughts on his grandson, Brady – off the record?"

Jean-Luc took a drink before sharing, "Brady and I work great together. He really is the future of Titan, and I believe things will improve greatly once Victor passes the company to him. Unfortunately, no one knows when this will occur. People are becoming more restless."

"Well, it may be sooner than you think," Delphi slyly informed Jean-Luc.

Interest piqued, Jean-Luc raised his left eyebrow and leaned forward on his desk. "And you would know this, how? Has Victor finally decided he's ready to step down and retire?"

Kristen looked at Delphi before saying, "Not exactly. Brady sent us to inform you that he wants to take over the company, but he needs your help."

"My help?"

"Yes," Kristen confirmed. She could see the suspicious look on his face and shared, "He needs information that will reveal Victor's sketchy deals in Paris as well as the investors who are not happy with Victor's recent performance."

Jean-Luc took a moment to mull over the claims of Kristen and Delphi. The idea of Brady attempting a hostile takeover seemed too good to be true. "I apologize if my struggle to trust what you are telling me makes you feel disrespected, but why didn't Brady just come to me and why doesn't he know this information for himself?"

Delphi decided to take on Jean-Luc's suspicions this time. "Brady sent us because he doesn't want Victor to know what he's trying to do. He obviously trusts you or we would not be here now."

Pulling out her phone, Kristen unlocked it and opened up to her recent messages with Brady. "If you want proof that we are in cahoots with Brady, why don't you look at these?" She stood up and moved closer to Jean-Luc so he could look at her screen. While he looked, she shared, "We know all about how you and your co-workers here took a pay cut to fund Kai Kwan's internship at Salem University Hospital every year."

Jean-Luc stopped looking at Kristen's phone and suddenly became angry. "That old bastard treats us all like we're expendable whereas Brady has always taken care of us. If Brady wants to take over, then I say it's about time."

Delphi smiled at Kristen before turning her attention to Jean-Luc. "Remember, we will need to keep this on the DL because Victor cannot know about it."

With a big grin across his face, Jean-Luc remarked, "You came to the right man. I have exactly what you need."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Thursday, April 10th, 2014_

* * *

After receiving the information from Jean-Luc two days after meeting with him, Alessandro brought Kristen, who left Delphi to look through the information, to an exclusive and private hotel room. Walking in, Kristen was surprised when she saw Maddalena laying in a bed – she looked rather weak. Kristen leaned into Alessandro and whispered, "Is she okay?"

Alessandro whispered back, "She is recuperating from being in a coma for some months."

Breaking into Kristen and Alessandro's conversation, Maddalena theatrically shared, "My nipote has informed me of what you are doing. I will not stand in the way of what you hope to accomplish."

"I am happy to hear that," Kristen softly replied. She was still in shock to see Maddalena breathing. A part of her believed Stefano's sister was dead since Alessandro wouldn't show any proof of her being alive until this point.

Maddalena had not finished saying her piece yet. "You should quit this while you have the opportunity," she warned. "Scheming will get you nowhere in life. I have seen this first hand."

Kristen wasn't too keen on hearing Maddalena's warning. "I will get what I want in life now that Luci… I mean Satan Marlena is down in the dumps."

Noting Kristen's resolve, Maddalena stated, "I hope Stefano stays away and does not taint things once more."

Turning to Alessandro, Kristen asked, "Have you had any luck in finding Stefano?" She hoped that since he brought her to Maddalena, he must know something about her adoptive father.

Maddalena wanted to know that as well. "Do you have any updates on Gustavo and Ignazio finally?"

Alessandro shook his head. "I have been unable to track all three of them down so far. I really believe all died in Urbino."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Wednesday, July 30th, 2014_

* * *

With Kristen in the driver's seat, Peter turned off the music to check in with his sister before they arrived to the DiMera mansion. He did not want her to become too zealous or lose control of her emotions when they were finally in front of EJ. "It is odd how we're back in Salem after being gone for so many years."

Kristen kept her eyes on the road as she tuned onto the street the DiMera mansion was on. "It has been longer for you," she reminded Peter. "I was here in disguise so I think I will have an easier time adjusting."

Peter eyed his sister and questioned if he should call her out on her confidence. The last thing he wanted to do was set her off though. As Kristen parked in the driveway, he stated, "You don't have to worry about me. I am in control."

"Of course you are," Kristen replied giving her brother a knowing look. She got out of the car and went to help Peter with his door, but he beat her to it. She watched as he easily got out of the car and took a few steps. "Does it hurt?"

Knowing she was referring to his legs, Peter said, "I am good."

Kristen turned her attention to the front door and led Peter towards it. She was glad Peter no longer needed time to recover the use of his legs and they could finally stop stalling on their plan. "This is it," she quietly exhaled.

Peter and Kristen arrived outside the front entrance of the DiMera mansion. "It's time to make our presence known," Peter announced before ringing the doorbell.


	12. We Could Be Taking Over, Part 2

**Chapter 12: We Could Be Taking Over, Part 2 – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 **T** he unexpected hits when, in reality, it probably should have been expected all along. Some things are just inevitable. Old selves begin to reemerge. Old habits die hard.

* * *

 _Friday, August 1st, 2014_

* * *

EJ coolly stood on the pier looking out towards the Salem River. He knew he needed to keep his composure and studied the serene surroundings for inspiration when he suddenly received a text from Sami. She asked: "Where did you go so early this morning?"

EJ replied: "I will see you soon and tell you everything."

Sami's next text came almost immediately: "Be safe! _*heart*_ "

EJ returned his cell to his right pocket and returned his focus on the river. He wondered if things were about to get messy again. He couldn't fail like last time.

Soon after, Peter nonchalantly approached EJ and announced himself by saying, "You called for me?"

Turning to face his step-brother, EJ questioned, "Where is Kristen?"

"She had a business meeting she couldn't afford to miss," Peter adamantly informed EJ.

Showing he was still suspicious, EJ said, "I recall you saying that you had business outside of DiMera Enterprises. What are you two really up to? I don't have time for games or trouble."

Peter placed his hands in his pockets. "Kristen and I did not lie to you. I promise we have a gift for you. All will be revealed soon."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Unusually nervous, Brady walked over to a nearby bench at the Salem Park and took a seat. He glanced at his cell phone before taking in his surroundings because he was expecting his secret admirer to finally reveal herself. He caught his legs shaking and wondered if this would turn out not to be what he expected because he really felt a connection with this mysterious woman he had traded text messages and phone calls with for almost a year.

Kristen arrived to the park and found Brady sitting on a bench alone. Silently standing behind him, she eyed him for a moment. She hoped that by revealing herself now she could strengthen the bond between them before the news broke on the reason she and Peter returned to Salem. Taking a deep breath, she told herself, "This is it."

Composing herself, Kristen walked around the bench. "Brady…"

Hearing his name, the anticipation and excitement came to a head. Brady looked up and immediately stood to greet his secret admirer. He suddenly froze though. He recognized Kristen. "What?"

Kristen defensively raised her hands up and told Brady, "I know this may seem like a setup."

Brady gave Kristen a look to show her that was the obvious deduction. He was in disbelief that the woman he had fallen for was someone from his father's past. "Why? After all this time, why are you finally revealing yourself? Is this some twisted joke?"

Looking deep into Brady's eyes, Kristen disclosed, "I planned to wait longer, but I realized I needed to show my face because of my feelings."

"Your feelings?" Brady questioned with great confusion. "Tell me, do you want something from my father or Marlena? Is that what this is all about?"

Kristen denied it. This had nothing to do with _Satan Marlena_. "Brady, I am showing you my face because I have fallen in love with you. I figured it would be better now if you decided to reject me before my feelings for you get deeper and stronger."

Lost in Kristen's words and how she delivered them, Brady remembered the moment they shared in Italy at Stefano's last funeral. Though he knew pursuing any kind of cordial relationship with Kristen would bring on so many questions, he knew, deep down, this was something he wanted to explore. Not simply due to how much he enjoyed a challenge, but also due to the fact that he did find Kristen to be rather attractive. Clearing his throat, he spoke, "Even though I know about your past with my father and Marlena, I also know people can change. I really do feel as though I got to know you through our correspondence." Clearing his throat, he shrugged his shoulders as he asked with an intense nervous look, "Would you like to grab a cup of coffee with me?"

Kristen became giddy as she gladly accepted his invitation. "I would love to."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Tuesday, August 12th, 2014_

* * *

More than a few coffee dates later, Kristen rushed into Brady's Titan office because the news was out that she and her brother, Peter, owned almost half of the shares at Titan. She found Brady staring outside his window and sensed he was upset. He most likely already received word of what she and Peter did. Shaking her head, she couldn't believe Peter went to _The Salem Spectator_ and released the information without telling her. Why did this always happen to her?

"Brady…" she released. When he turned around, Kristen asked, "Are you upset?"

With sadness in his eyes, Brady walked over to Kristen and grabbed her hand. "I just found out that my cousin, Sonny, was admitted to an inpatient facility for treatment. I'm worried he will never be able to live a normal life because this is the second time he's gone in after a huge mental breakdown." Shaking his head, he continued, "I guess I should have seen this coming. He completely went off on my friend, Kai, about a month ago."

Kristen pulled Brady into a hug to comfort him. She was relieved to know she got to him before he read _The Salem Spectator_. She knew she would have to break the news though if she wanted to keep him. Separating from Brady, she looked into his eyes and spoke, "We have been through so much together, Brady. I hope you never forget that."

Confused at first, Brady stepped back as he tried to clear his head. He wondered if Kristen brought up their relationship to help him see that Sonny could live a normal life and find happiness. "Nobody is perfect…" he said under his breath.

Kristen still heard him. "Yes, Brady. You know how messed up life can be for everyone. I know it as well. I've managed to turn a new leaf to be where I am now, but I am still a work in progress…" She swallowed hard as she continued, "Brady, there's something you need to know."

Before Kristen could confess her actions, Victor suddenly entered Brady's office and didn't hold back once he saw Kristen with his grandson. "What the hell are you doing with this bitch?"

Brady couldn't stand that his grandfather was being so nasty towards Kristen. "There is no reason for you to call her that…"

"Stop being so damn naïve, Brady…" Victor bitterly yelled back. "Kristen is using you to take over the company." He threw a copy of _The Salem Spectator_ on Brady's desk. "It's all there – in the business section."

While Kristen struggled in what to do, Brady walked over to the paper, picked it up, and found the business section to see what Kristen and Peter had done. Turning to his girlfriend, he looked at her feeling betrayed. "What is this?"

Knowing that Brady had realized his mistake, Victor told his grandson, "I trust you to throw the trash out when you're done with her. Come to my office afterwards so we can talk family business."

With Victor gone, Kristen tried to explain herself. "Brady, let me explain…"

"No," Brady interrupted her. "There's no way you can justify anything. You did use me – you never actually loved me."

Kristen didn't let Brady's hurt stop her from trying. "Brady, I do love you, and I know we can work through this."

Brady's frustration only increased. "You can drop the act. I am done with your manipulation."

"This is not an act!" Kristen staunchly maintained.

Unsure of what to make of Kristen's resolve to continue the charade, Brady questioned, "Why all the secrecy then? From the beginning, you have hidden your true intentions."

Kristen argued, "You aren't seeing the bigger picture here, Brady." Taking a deep breath, she shared, "If I had told you from the beginning who I was, you would have never let me see the wonderful man you truly are, and you would have never opened yourself up to allow me to show you who I really am."

Even though Kristen had made a point, Brady claimed, "I can't trust anything you have said to me. I need you to leave because I can't figure you out right now." He headed to his office door and motioned her out.

In defeat, Kristen wiped the tears from her face and exited Brady's office. She was hurt and upset at her brother for torpedoing her relationship with Brady by releasing the news prematurely and without consulting with her first. How could Peter do this to her?

Meanwhile, Peter stood in Victor's office waiting for Victor to return so they could talk business. He remembered telling Delphi, his wife, to stay home in case Victor's rage was too much when his phone began to ring. It was EJ. "Hello…"

EJ skipped the formalities and began to chew Peter out. "What the hell are you and Kristen thinking? Do you realize what you are doing to the family?"

With a calm tone, Peter replied, "We did this for the family to get rid of the competition."

Overhearing Peter's claim to EJ, Victor quickly announced himself by saying, "Over my dead body."

Peter told EJ he had to go and ended the call. Turning to Victor, he smiled and gloated, "I am happy you cleared your schedule for this."

Livid, Victor told Peter, "Get out! You and your family are about to feel my wrath!"

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

"We need to talk now." After putting out and calming as many fires as possible at Titan Industries, Victor arrived inside Jen's office at _The Salem Spectator_ building without a warning.

Jennifer stood up from her desk and showed she could understand why he would be upset by the frustrated look on her face. "We've been receiving calls all day, so I can…"

"Save it," Victor cut her off. Seeing the surprised look in Jen's face, he knew he had her attention. "Whose side are you on, Jennifer Horton? I know it's your job to tell the public the news, but I am part of that public as well. This is one of the many times I've been screwed over by _The Salem Spectator_. Tell me, did you approve of this just like you approved Ezra's exposé on me which cost me and my business?"

Rubbing her head, Jen took a moment to show Victor she took her job very seriously. "Victor, I already apologized to you about that story, but as I informed you before, that story ran before I could completely take over this paper. Ezra simply turned in his notes since he left to work for the mayor, and someone must have finished it."

Knowing Ezra's connection to Peter and Delphi, Victor shook his head and pointed out, "And here we are again. Are you still trying to take complete control of the paper you supposedly own?"

Jennifer dropped her hand to her side. She took a deep breath before responding, "I had no say in the story that was published in the business section today. Peter and/or Kristen must have snuck it in." Showing a bit more of her agitation, she complained, "I am tired of them going behind my back as well. I promise you, I will clean house to make sure something like this doesn't happen again. Someone must be on Kristen and Peter's payroll after Kristen left the paper to me."

"An official apology written from you would be nice as well," Victor directed. Seeing that he had said his piece, he decided to take his leave.

Jennifer fell in her chair wanting to scream because the day only seemed to increase in stress. How could she let this happen? How was she going to fix this for good?

When she heard a sudden knock on her door, Jen kept her focus on her desk as she assumed, "Harold, I really hope you have some good news for me or I'm going to need quite a few of your funny Jere stories to make it through the rest of today."

"I'm sorry…"

Jen immediately looked up because the voice she heard was neither Harold's nor did it belong to a male. Kristen was now standing in front of her. "What… You have a lot of gall showing up like this!"

"I'm sorry," Kristen softly repeated. "I… I didn't know Peter was going to do this."

Jen was too upset to notice the sincerity in Kristen or the dried up tears on her face. "How could you let this happen? Did you give me the Spectator, so that I would be your puppet? Did you do this because you wanted to embarrass me and make me look like a complete fool? Tell me why, Kristen. I really want to hear this."

Carefully moving forward, Kristen tried to explain herself. "Jen, I…"

"Never mind," Jen quickly interrupted. "I've changed my mind. I don't want to hear this because I don't have time for this. If you want to do me a favor and help me save some time, just tell me who the mole is, and I will gladly give your employee his or her notice. I am sure you can use them elsewhere."

Wanting to do right by Jen, Kristen conceded. "It's Zed... Zedekiah Pittman." As Jen furiously jotted down the mole's name, Kristen attempted to apologize once more. "I promise you I never meant for this to happen this way."

Jen turned her attention to her computer and began to compose an email. She told Kristen, "You never do." Taking her hands from her keyboard for a second, she looked directly at her one-time friend and wondered, "What happened to the Kristen I used to know – the one who was considerate of others as well?"

A tear fell down Kristen's face. She did not have an answer for Jen; she felt as though she was losing everything so fast. "I… I should go." This was too much for her. She backed out of Jen's office and swiftly exited _The Salem Spectator_ building.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Friday, August 15th, 2014_

* * *

It had been a few days since the announcement in _The Salem Spectator_ , and EJ hoped Victor had managed to clear his head before a secret and private meeting on the pier. When Victor arrived, EJ decided to set the mood by saying, "Thanks for meeting. I hope to clear the air…"

"I am doing all the talking here while you will be listening," Victor warned EJ before declaring, "The peace between our families has ended. A line has been drawn through the sand, and we are now at war."

"Victor…"

EJ tried to get a word in, but Victor interrupted again and said, "There's nothing you can say that will change the direction things are going. Our families are now enemies. Keep Dario away from my great-nephew because I wouldn't be surprised if you used Dario to destroy Sonny's life completely to distract us from what was happening with Titan."

Before EJ could stop Victor and convince him he and the rest of his family had no idea what Kristen and Peter had up their sleeves, Victor left. He couldn't believe this was happening. This was the last thing he needed.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Monday, August 25th, 2014_

* * *

After suggesting to EJ that he could talk to Maggie, Will set up a lunch date with his great-aunt at the Brady Pub. After receiving their drinks and ordering food, Will started off with some small talk. "How is business going?"

Maggie took a sip of her tea before sharing, "Things are going extremely well with Chez Rouge since Melissa and Sarah moved back to help me. I don't have to go in as much thankfully, but I do make appearances now and then to check in with my regulars to make sure everything is still up to par."

Will nodded his head as he gulped down most of his drink. He grabbed his neck realizing his nerves were showing. "I'm really thirsty," he tried to excuse himself before asking, "What are you doing on your time off?"

Turning her head to the side, Maggie gave Will a skeptical look. "What's going on, Will? I know you want to discuss something else with me."

Attempting to play coy at first, Will replied, "I just wanted to check in with you since it's been a while. Are you and my dad still going to meetings together?"

Maggie tried to read Will. "Yes, but I don't think you asked to meet with me to discuss your father." Placing her arms flat on top of the table, she leaned in to show Will she knew why he asked to meet with her. "Will, I know this has to do with the issues between Victor and the DiMera family."

Figuring there was no point in dancing around the subject anymore, Will commented, "I'm surprised Victor allowed you to visit with me…"

Maggie almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation they were all in. "I find it funny, and I don't actually mean funny, but Victor tried to stop me from having lunch with you. I told him there is no way he is going to keep me from my family."

Will could see Maggie was disappointed in all of this, but he still asked, "So are you on Victor's side of this issue then?"

Leaning back, Maggie answered, "I plan to stand by my husband, but I will also make sure that he does not do anything that could make things worse for anyone. Are you doing okay?"

Will allowed his nerves to show more as he admitted, "I'm worried for Chad and the family because I don't know what Victor will pull to retaliate. I already know he's keeping Dario and Sonny apart. He did something similar to me and Sonny a while back by making sure we couldn't call or text each other."

Maggie tilted her head as she said, "I don't think Victor is keeping Sonny away from Dario. Sonny is still in treatment, and from what I understand, Sonny is keeping his distance from everyone. I talked to Justin and Adrienne about him the other day, and they informed me that he doesn't want visitors. He only wants letters, and even wants those to be limited. Justin and Adrienne are trying to respect his wishes and have decided to focus on rebranding The Cheatin' Heart because of the struggles Sonny has been through with his own heart."

Even though this information was coming from Maggie, Will found it hard to believe. "I don't know. Has Sonny written anyone back?" So far, Will hadn't received anything back from Sonny.

Maggie denied it. "Like I just said, Sonny did talk to his parents on the phone once, and that's when he told them he wanted some time away from everyone and everything while he is in treatment and possibly after he gets out."

Will looked down in defeat. This just didn't make sense, but he didn't know why Justin, Adrienne, or Maggie would lie about this. "I'm so worried…"

Hoping to alleviate Will's concerns, Maggie patted Will's hand and promised, "I will try to talk to Victor to make sure he doesn't do anything drastic. I don't want a war between families either."

Will exhaled deeply and audibly. He hoped Maggie would be able to get Victor to stand down in case Peter and Kristen made things worse.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Sunday, September 28th, 2014_

* * *

Sami walked into the main room of the DiMera mansion in time to see EJ throw his phone across the room. He was clearly upset. "What's going on?" she asked as she approached him hoping she could calm him with her presence.

EJ took a few deep breaths before turning to face his wife. Even with the attempt to calm himself down, his facial expression revealed that things were not good. "I've heard rumblings Victor has met with the family heads secretly to discuss our family because of what Peter and Kristen have done. I made a few calls and unfortunately… things are not looking good. I've also reached out to Justin, but I doubt he will be able to help talk sense into his uncle at this point as well."

Sami hated seeing and hearing the negativity in EJ. Trying to process this news, she recounted, "I know you distanced yourself somewhat from the families to keep business at DiMera Enterprises legitimate…" She took his hand and suggested, "…but we should meet with the families to keep the peace."

"I'm unsure if they will listen at this point," EJ sighed. "We had an in with the Vitali family, but with their matriarch in such a weakened state, it's only a matter of time before her grandson takes charge of the family."

The hostage situation in the basement of their home replayed in Sami's mind. She remembered the Vitali grandson well and knew if he took over the Vitali family, they were definitely screwed. Squeezing EJ's hand to make him look into her eyes, Sami countered, "We will make them listen to us. The family must stick together and fix this!"

EJ kissed Sami's forehead feeling a lot better. He knew that this would be a battle they would not lose no matter what.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Monday, October 14th, 2014_

* * *

"Where are Lexie and Will?" Sami asked as Chad entered EJ's office at DiMera Enterprises.

Chad glanced over to his brother as he replied, "They are on their way back from a meeting with Pastor Carlson. Any news?"

EJ stood up from his desk and moved toward the front of it. "I've managed to set up a meeting with the families. Do you think you and Will could watch the kids while Samantha and I are gone? I know Lexie will help."

Before Chad could answer, Dario rushed into EJ's office with Manny and Arianna. "I'm sorry to intrude, but I told my brother and sister about what's going on with Victor."

Confused, Sami crossed her arms over her chest. "Why?" She was worried because Manny used to work for Victor and Arianna was a known ally of his as well.

Manny lowered his head somewhat and explained, "As you are aware, me and my siblings discovered we have a connection with the Toscano family at Stefano's funeral in Urbino."

"And?" EJ released with some impatience.

" _And_ … we think we may be able to help you," Arianna assertively shared showing EJ that they came here as a favor. "We recently uncovered some information connected with the Toscano family."

EJ and Sami traded looks with the others in the room while Chad looked to Dario. "What information?"

Dario put his focus to his siblings to answer. Arianna claimed, "We believe Gustavo is still alive, and we may know where he is. He could possibly help resolve things between you and the families – between you and Victor."


	13. We Could Be Taking Over, Part 3

**Chapter 13: We Could Be Taking Over, Part 3 – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 **U** nderestimating the desperate can be a deadly mistake. The idea that power is something that can be obtained simply by taking it away from someone else is a poor and misguided assumption. Power is not limited. Power is infinite and can be found even in the darkest of places.

* * *

 _Thursday, October 23rd, 2014_

* * *

Outside the gates of the Kiriakis mansion, Dario struggled as he tried to break free from Victor's men. They held him against the hood of his car waiting for Victor to arrive to inform them of his decision on what to do with Dario.

Victor finally appeared with Chelsea in tow. With a look of great frustration, Victor commented, "You have continually tried to see Sonny only to have my men throw you out and keep you away every single time."

Chelsea couldn't believe the state she found Dario or the confirmation she had received from her grandfather. "What is going on here? Dario deserves to see and talk to Sonny."

Annoyed, Victor turned to his granddaughter to give her a disappointed look. "I cannot believe you are helping this scum. He is the enemy. This is what Sonny requested when he moved into my home."

Bullshit. Chelsea did not believe Victor and called him out on it. "I find that very hard to believe. Why would Sonny want Dario to stay away from him?"

Victor relaxed as he calmly explained, "It was part of Sonny's safety plan that he helped create when he left The Meadows. I'm not making this up."

"I won't give up on Sonny. I will talk to him," Dario declared as he continued to struggle with breaking free from Victor's men.

Turning back to Dario, Victor demanded, "Stay away from Sonny. You have worked hard to make sure he landed in treatment twice! You can try to deny it, and Chelsea may believe you, but I know better. I know about everything you have done to manipulate and toy with my great-nephew's heart. You let him fall in love with you when he first returned to Salem just to leave him here for a fishing trip in Alaska. Then you gave him hell for what happened with Kinsey only to seduce him while ruining his relationship with Kai. You blamed him for not getting to say goodbye to your mother and made him feel guilty for your grief. I know how your kind works – you are a DiMera, but even worse, you are the product of André DiMera."

"Stop this!" Chelsea helplessly demanded. She could see how much this was impacting Dario because he stopped trying to break free.

Victor wasn't done. He motioned his head toward his granddaughter and said, "I almost forgot to mention that you also dated Chelsea to toy with Sonny."

Chelsea rushed to Victor's side and grabbed his arm and attention. "That's not true. That's not…"

"What's not true," Victor interjected. He did not give her a chance to explain what she meant though. "If you don't believe me, you should ask Sonny yourself. I'm not sure if he'll respond since he's focused on his school work and catching up on what he missed while he was in treatment."

Even though Dario knew he didn't want to hurt Sonny, he still wanted Victor to see he was wrong in what he was saying. "I love Sonny. I really do."

Victor grunted to make his men strengthen their grip on Dario. "If you are capable of love, you will leave Sonny alone so he can go back to the happy person he once was. You, Dario, made him who he is today – broken… trying to put his shattered life back together."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Monday, October 27th, 2014_

* * *

Having trailed Kristen from Java Café, Chad followed her to the Blake mansion in Salem. Before she could head inside, he called out to her. "Kristen, I need a moment to talk to you."

Kristen stopped in her tracks, turned around, and studied Chad because they hadn't had many interactions since she arrived to Salem almost three months before. "Did EJ put you up to this?" she asked showing her suspicions. "What are you supposed to accomplish with this conversation you want to have with me?"

Attempting to calm Kristen's reservations, Chad replied, "I only came by to invite you and Peter to an annual Halloween party Will and I are throwing at The Chill. We started doing it last year, and since it was a success, we're making it annual. I hope you can come."

Giving Chad an inch, Kristen asked, "When is it?"

"Friday," Chad answered. "Halloween night."

Kristen watched as Chad turned around to leave, but she called out to him to stop him. "Wait. I will go." She thought back to Chad's declaration of love to Will the night of the concert at The Chill and how she watched it in _The Salem Spectator_ office building. "About your relationship with Will – did Stefano really accept it before he disappeared?"

Chad turned around once more and blew a lot of air from his mouth as he scratched the back of his head. "Your question is hard for me to answer. In the beginning, Stefano wasn't supportive and almost made me believe I would have to choose Will or the family, but things improved, and it became clear that maybe Stefano just wanted to keep me safe from harm and ridicule."

"That didn't seem so hard to answer," Kristen stated.

"I'm not finished," Chad shared before continuing. "It seemed to me that Stefano did approve of my relationship with Will because he supported me years back when I returned to Salem to fight for Will's heart again. At the same time, I'm not so sure if I can trust Stefano's love because of all the evil decisions and choices he made."

Kristen placed her hands on her hips after adjusting her purse over her shoulder. "There is such thing as redemption." Even though things were quite dim for her at the moment, she subconsciously had the drive to believe things could change for the better.

With a nod, Chad acknowledged but argued, "For some people redemption is possible. I believed that Stefano could be redeemed, and maybe he could have been, but the truth is he never wanted it. Stefano never wanted redemption; he never saw the things he did wrong as completely wrong. As long as he continued to do bad things, he could never have redemption."

Kristen took a moment to reflect on what Chad said to her before asking, "Was it hard for you to win Will back?"

Chad smiled and shared, "It was a tad difficult. I had to show Will that I was a different person than when I left. I opened my heart and did everything I could to build Will up even if Will decided not to be with me."

A smile crept on Kristen's face as she commented, "That sounds like true sacrificial love."

"Have you ever experienced anything like that?" Chad questioned realizing he was actually having a legitimate conversation with Stefano's adopted daughter.

Sighing, Kristen confessed, "I thought I did a lifetime ago when I was a different person – a naïve person – but I know now that it wasn't really love. I may have felt safe, but it wasn't right." She reflected on how things were over with Brady at this point, but something told her there was hope. Maybe it was Chad. "I think I've experienced it recently, but I have to fight for it."

Hoping to build on this new connection with Kristen further, Chad encouraged, "Do whatever you can to make sure you don't lose it. It's probably the most important thing you can find… have in life."

The front door of the Blake mansion suddenly opened. Ezra walked out telling his parents, "I don't understand why you keep doing things like this. I will call you later." He suddenly froze when he spotted Chad and Kristen outside talking.

Peter and Delphi were surprised to see Chad with Kristen as well. Ezra knew he couldn't let this shock keep him there much longer. Without another word, he got into his car and drove off.

Stepping out onto the porch, Peter questioned, "Chad, what are you doing here?"

Knowing Peter didn't trust Chad, Kristen informed her brother, "Chad came by to invite us to a Halloween Party on Friday."

Trying to minimize his interaction with Peter, Chad added, "I hope you all can come. Have a good night." After giving Kristen a knowing look, he left.

Kristen followed Peter and Delphi into the mansion. Once they were in the entry way, she said, "Peter, I would like to talk to you alone."

Moving her hair from her face, Delphi grabbed Peter's arm. "I don't like the tone of your voice, Kristen."

Patting Delphi's hand on his arm, Peter assured his wife that it was okay and suggested she go for a walk since it usually relaxed her; she definitely needed it after their blowout with Ezra. After Delphi left, he asked his sister, "Should I be nervous? I can see regret in your eyes."

Kristen tried to hide her emotions better, but she couldn't fully when she asked, "Why are we doing this? Why…?". She was still pissed at Peter for snowballing her relationship with Brady and ruining any chance she had with being friends with Jen.

Before Kristen could say more, Peter asked a question of his own. "Is this about Brady?"

Kristen didn't answer, but she didn't deny it either.

Figuring Chad most likely said something to her, Peter told his sister, "You cannot fall for Brady because that will never happen anyway. We are doing this because we need to show everyone that we are capable of playing in the big leagues."

Kristen knew that this was a power move, but she still insisted, "I do love Brady." She could not understand how Peter could be so cold towards her. How could he not see that this was a big deal to her? She thought she would never experience this again. Flirting with Brady brought a piece of her old self back – the optimistic she once was. Jen also brought that side back, but Peter took that away from her as well. Showing some vulnerability, Kristen confessed, "I feel secluded and alone."

Peter heard the break in his sister's voice, but he knew he could not let that distract him. "You have me," he simply replied to get her to focus on what he believed was most important.

Allowing her anger to take control, Kristen countered, "It doesn't feel like it."

"This isn't up for debate," Peter argued. "We decided to do this long ago, and we cannot back out now. You may have feelings for Brady, but don't. Save yourself from worse hurt."

Kristen planned to say something else, but Peter walked out before she could. She sighed feeling torn because as her brother mentioned they decided to do this before she even realized she had a real connection with Brady. With Peter, the only family member she truly had left, she was going to get what was taken from her all those years ago, but somehow she managed to find something familiar yet fresh with Brady. Now she was here, standing alone in her thoughts. She didn't know what she wanted more – Brady or power.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Friday, October 31st, 2014_

* * *

At Chad and Will's Halloween Party, Brady walked out of the men's room wearing a typical pirate costume he found at the last-minute since he decided he would attend only today. Looking the rather large crowd over, the second annual costume party at The Chill seemed to be a success. He was happy for Will and Chad.

Approaching Brady in her Daenerys Targaryen costume, Sami mused, "I'm surprised to see you here considering The Chill is technically your competition's business."

"Well, my grandfather isn't happy I'm here," Brady admitted. "But Will is family, and I want to keep the peace." Truthfully, he didn't care what Victor thought about his attending the party of a DiMera-owned business.

Sami gave Brady a knowing look as she pointed out, "Technically, Chad is really your family considering you're related to the DiMera family."

Brady didn't really want to hear that argument again and said, "I didn't come tonight to have annoying conversations. I came here to have fun." It bothered him that Sami didn't care that he was technically a part of her family.

Before Brady could walk away, Sami stopped him by saying, "I'm sorry." She apologized because she realized she pushed the wrong button and wanted to talk about something far more legitimate with her step-brother. "I saw you with Kristen earlier."

Thinking about how Kristen approached him and attempted to talk to him when he first arrived, Brady sighed and declared, "I'm trying to stay away from her."

"Is that what you want?" Sami didn't skip a beat.

Brady hesitated for a moment but eventually said, "I have to if I want to save Titan."

Sami raised her eyes and debated, "Not necessarily." Once she saw she had Brady's full attention, she suggested, "You could do the opposite and save Titan as well."

Confused, Brady wondered, "Are you saying the DiMera family would do a better job with Titan than me and Victor?"

"That's not what I was saying even though it's true," Sami stated before clarifying, "I'm trying to help you and Victor because I want to keep the peace as well."

"How then?"

Sami rested her hand on Brady's shoulder and broke it down for him. "All you have to do is pretend to be deeply in love with Kirsten. You'll have her in the palm of your hand so you can make her call the entire thing off."

Brady eyed Kristen for a moment considering Sami's plan, but he thought of the repercussions after. "I can't do that," he revealed. "Kristen doesn't really love me anyway."

Studying her step-brother, Sami replied, "Kristen is crazy enough to actually love you. You should think about it. It could solve all of our problems."

After Sami walked off, Brady continued to watch Kristen until she caught him and smiled from a distance. Brady was about to smile back when John and Marlena stepped between them to catch Brady's gaze.

"Stay focused, son," John told Brady. "You can't fall for Kristen's tricks. I talked to Victor. She's only using you to get what she wants."

There was no escaping this. "You have nothing to worry about," Brady emphatically informed John and Marlena.

Marlena meticulously eyed Brady and began to read his body language. "I'm not sure if I actually believe you," she admitted.

Wishing they would just let this go, Brady maintained, "You don't have to worry because I know Kristen doesn't really love me."

Marlena showed great uncertainty as she replied, "That is good, but…"

"But what?"

John stepped in and questioned, "But are you in love with Kristen?"

Fed up, Brady looked the crowd over for Will. "I'm going to find Will and tell him goodnight because I'm tired of having this conversation. Goodnight and enjoy your evening."

Kristen kept her eyes on Brady as he walked away from John and Marlena. She could tell he was upset and especially saw the disappointment when they made eye contact one last time. Returning her attention to John and Marlena, she mentally wondered, "What the hell did you say to Brady, Satan Marlena?"

"Surprised to see you here," Ezra interrupted Kristen's internal dialogue.

Seeing her nephew in front of her, Kristen quickly replaced her frown with a genuine smile. "I could say the same…"

Studying his surroundings, Ezra questioned, "Are my parents here?" He thought about the last time he saw them at their house.

Kristen noted Ezra seemed a bit on edge. "They plan to show up late," she answered before asking, "Are you waiting around for them?"

Adjusting his cowboy hat, Ezra revealed, "I'm not sure because I feel awkward being here."

That was obvious. Spotting Chad and Will, Kristen hoped to alleviate Ezra's discomfort by calling them over. "Chad… Will…" When they walked over, she gave them an appreciative nod. "Thank you so much for the invitation," she released noting that the awkwardness in her nephew seemed to only increase.

Ezra attempted to echo his aunt's sentiments. "Thank you for the invitation as well, Chad." Scratching his arm, he shared, "I'm not sure why you would invite me, honestly, but this place is nice."

Noting the uneasiness in Ezra, Chad tried to lighten the mood by saying, "It's time we bury the hatchet and be friends. I know how you were such a good friend for Will and only wanted what was best for him."

The kindness was a bit much for Ezra, so he looked away as he argued, "That's not necessarily true."

Completely engrossed in what was happening, Kristen attempted to help her nephew. "You shouldn't doubt yourself Ezra." She wondered if he was still torn up about losing Abigail.

"I'm not a saint because of what I did," Ezra maintained looking straight into his aunt's eyes.

As a chill ran down Kristen's spine, Will quickly cut in before Ezra could say more. "Listen to Kristen," he directed. "You have been an awesome friend to me."

Trading a glance with Will, Ezra quickly realized Will had not told Chad about how he almost raped him. It seemed Will didn't want Chad to know about it now either. "Sorry…"

Kristen rolled her shoulders to ease the tension that surrounded her. Something had definitely shifted once again between Ezra, Will, and Chad. Looking up for Brady, she realized he wasn't anywhere to be found. Now distracted, she excused herself before walking away.

With Kristen suddenly gone, Chad scratched the back of his head and asked, "Everything okay?"

Will kept his eyes on Ezra as he maintained, "Everything is fine."

"I was asking Ezra," Chad informed Will while keeping his focus on Will's friend. "I don't mean now, Ezra, but I saw the tension between you and your parents the other day."

"Oh," Ezra released showing that he just realized something. He knew why Chad invited him now. Shaking his head, he stated, "I will tell you what you want to know and then I'll leave."

Realizing how this looked to Ezra now, Chad backtracked somewhat. "You don't have to leave."

"It's okay, Chad" Ezra assured with some disappointment. "You get what you want the same way my parents do. The reason there was tension between my mom and dad and I is because I hate what they did to take over Titan. They used me. I was an uninformed participant in their plot."

There was so much to unpack from what Ezra shared, but Chad decided to ask, "How did they use you?"

Completely overcome by his anger over the entire situation, Ezra took off his cowboy hat and said, "That's all you get. I'm sorry, but I can't be here when my parents show up. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters."

Will tried to stop Ezra from leaving. "Wait," he raised his voice as he put his hand out.

Ezra swiftly dodged Will's hand and warned, "You probably shouldn't touch me."

Will froze in place for a second as he went back to that night in Ezra's apartment more than a year ago. He really needed to talk to him to clear the air so they could move on.

Before Will could try to go after Ezra again, Chad stopped him. "Will…"

Will turned to face Chad and tried to give him a serious look even though he was in Lego Man makeup. He figured Chad wanted to know why there was so much tension between him and Ezra. "Chad, I can fix this," he released.

Chad took Will's hands in his and pulled him closer. "No. We have to do this together," he started. "We have to do better in being Ezra's friend because he doesn't seem to be the bad guy I thought he was."

Will smiled and strongly upheld, "Ezra is not a bad guy."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Sunday, November 2nd, 2014_

* * *

As Manny and Arianna settled into their hotel room in Paris, Manny shared, "I checked in with Gabi and Dario earlier. They are both fine."

"I talked to EJ earlier," Arianna informed her brother.

Manny stopped what he was doing and asked, "What's the plan?"

Pulling out some of her clothes from her suitcase, Arianna shared, "We will head for the area where Gustavo was supposedly spotted and hopefully track him down for information about our family to see if he can assist with keeping the peace with EJ and Victor. With Ernesto's sudden death, I wonder if Gustavo has any plans for the Toscano family."

Manny thought Arianna's plan sounded simple enough. He hoped they would find Gustavo and that he would be cooperative. As he sat near the bed, a sudden knock sounded upon the door. Standing, he anxiously asked Arianna, "Are you expecting anyone?"

Arianna denied it and grabbed her gun in case it was trouble. "Slowly open the door," she told Manny.

As instructed, Manny gradually opened the door and was surprised to see Gustavo on the other side. "What the hell?"

Gustavo walked in as Arianna put her gun away. "I know you two are looking for me, and I know why. I cannot help you. I cannot help the DiMera family because they destroyed my life." Before Arianna or Manny could ask him any questions or respond, he stated, "This is very important. Do what I tell you to do. You will stay in Paris for a few days and pretend you are looking for me, but after you will report to everyone that you never saw me."

Gustavo headed for the door to leave, but Manny called to him. "Don't walk out on us."

Gustavo stopped but did not face them. "I promise I will return for you two, Gabi, and Dario. Goodbye."

After Gustavo left, Manny and Arianna looked at each other and wondered what just happened. They realized Gustavo had definitely kept tabs on them without them knowing. What were they going to do now?

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Friday, November 7th, 2014_

* * *

It was early morning in Italy. EJ sat across from most of the family heads hoping to fix the mess he and his family found themselves in before things escalated further. There were two empty chairs at the table. The first empty chair was the Kiriakis seat since Victor was not told about the meeting. The second chair belonged to the Toscano family, but with Ernesto's death, no one had claimed the seat yet. The head of the Moroni family looked to EJ and inquired, "What do you have to say about this disruption to business caused by Peter and Kristen?"

Trying to hold in his frustration, EJ soundly answered, "As I have said before, Kristen and Peter did not act on behalf of my family. Kristen and Peter are not true DiMeras."

The other heads began to talk amongst themselves. Most did not agree with EJ's statements. The head of the Tasso family harshly slammed her hand against the table to speak. "We disagree. This is all on Stefano because he made them DiMeras. Due to this fact, everything falls on you, EJ DiMera. It is up to you to fix it."

Knowing of the difficult past between the Tasso family and his father since Daphne, Tony's mother, came from them, EJ grunted, "You want me to fix it? This is not a DiMera problem." He did not understand why the others did not seem to understand he had done his part to help the business he really had no part in anymore. He tried to work with Justin, but Victor passed. Even Philip wasn't any help because of his role in the situation.

"You are not listening, EJ," the head of the Vitali family howled. "If you do not fix this, your life and the lives of your children will not be easy. We will make every day for you difficult."

Not one to let threats slide, especially one that came from someone who previously threatened his family's life, EJ warned, "My father and grandfather made all of you who you are today. Victor should be held responsible as well for not being willing to work with me to put a stop to Peter and Kristen _Blake_."

The head of the last family, the Ptolemy family, tried to put EJ at ease by raising his hands up. "We understand your problems with Victor and out of respect for you, we did not ask Victor to come, but you must do this for us. You wanted out and we allowed you to leave this table without any problems. Now your family is causing problems."

The Vitali head did not care for manners or politics. He shot out, "You are weak, EJ. You are nothing like Stefano or Santo, and that is a problem unfortunately… for you. You cut ties with us and made us lose out on business we expected until the end of time. You don't get to call the shots now!"

EJ noted that the Moroni and Tasso family heads began to agree with Mr. Vitali. He needed to play the political game happening before him to make sure no further harm came to his family. "What exactly do I need to do?" he asked to show he would be compliant. Deep down, he told himself that when he was done with them they would wish he was Stefano and Santo. He needed to be done with them for good.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

"If anything happens to our family, everyone involved will pay," Sami exclaimed to EJ. She was livid due to the update EJ gave her on how the meeting went. They were on the DiMera Jet waiting to be cleared for takeoff.

Placing his hand on Sami's, EJ sustained, "It won't get to that." He managed to calm himself since the meeting, but he still swore, "We will make sure it doesn't go there because of who we are."

Sami's phone chimed. She received a text message from Carrie that contained Anna and Tony's contact information. "Carrie came through with a number we can use to reach Anna and Tony. Do you think Tony could really help us?"

Thinking about Tony's connection to the Tasso family, EJ hoped so. "It's worth a shot, but in the end we really don't need him."

Appreciating EJ's confidence, Sami pushed on her screen to dial the number Carrie provided. As the phone rang, she put it on speaker phone so they could both talk to Tony. "Let's hope one of them answers."

"Hello?" Anna answered the call.

EJ cleared his throat and spoke. "Anna. It's Samantha and EJ. Is there a chance we can talk to Tony?"

Anna paused for a moment. It was as if she was communicating with someone with her. She finally answered, "Tony can't come to the phone because he has cut all ties with the DiMera family. I'm sorry." She hung up.

EJ shook his head and picked up the phone in the jet. He instructed the pilot to head back to Salem before turning towards his wife. "Do not worry. Nothing is going to happen to our family."

Though she appreciated EJ's confidence, Sami began to struggle that this was too much. "We are here in Italy. Ever since Marco left, security has been iffy at best."

Kissing Sami's hand, EJ assured, "I promise we have all of our bases covered. Everyone was fine when we checked in not that long ago."

Sami hoped EJ was right.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Later, in Salem, Lexie arrived at the Horton house to talk to Jennifer. She hoped she could help with the Peter and Kristen situation. "I know I am asking a lot from you, Jen, but the family is desperate, and we need Peter and Kristen to give up their shares of Titan so things will be peaceful once more. You have a past with Peter, so he may listen to you and realize this is wrong."

Jennifer could see this was a big deal but felt like she was powerless. She reflected on her past with Peter and admitted, "I'm not sure if I can talk to Peter. He's married now, so I don't think I have the pull you think I do."

Wanting to convince Jen, Lexie shared, "Peter's wife helped him in this scheme. He needs a good woman to speak to him to make him back off." Jen still seemed unsure, so Lexie moved onto Kristen. "What about befriending Kristen? You were friends before, and Kristen obviously thinks the world of you since she left you _The Salem Spectator_."

Jen showed even more doubt on her face as she countered, "I can't trust Kristen because she used me and _The Salem Spectator_ in her scheme to take Victor down."

The doorbell rang before Lexie could make another go at convincing Jen to do this. Jennifer stood up and claimed, "I'll get rid of whoever is here so we can finish our conversation." She really did want to help Lexie. Opening the door, she found Kristen on the other side. She wondered if she should invite her in due to Lexie's request. "Kristen, what are you doing here?" she asked a bit coldly.

Unaware that Jen had company, Kristen rushed inside and apologetically said, "I am sorry to just show up like this, but I need your help with Peter because I got an ominous text from him. I think he's about to do something desperate."

Lexie walked into the foyer and asked, "What do you think Peter is going to do?"

Jennifer's nerves increased as she looked at Lexie and Kristen. She really wondered if she could help them with whatever Peter had planned.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Meanwhile, at the Kiriakis mansion, Will managed to sneak inside to talk to Sonny with Maggie's help. After scouring through the halls, Will finally entered Sonny's bedroom and found his old friend relaxing on his bed. "Hey…"

Sonny looked rather pale and somewhat depressed. The loneliness had started to take its toll on him, and though he made the choice to keep his distance from the outside world, he began to wonder if he should get out to make sure he didn't go too far with separating himself from reality. Hearing Will's voice and seeing him in front of him, Sonny's face lit up as he immediately jumped off his bed to give Will a hug. "Hey! I can't believe you're here," he began as he thought about how long it had been since he saw Will. Showing he was somewhat upset, he continued, "I thought I'd never see you again because you never reached out after my release."

Will held Sonny a little longer because it was so good to see him, but at the same time he did not understand why he believed he didn't try to reach out to him. "That's not true. I haven't seen you around town at all."

Separating from Will, Sonny looked down and shamefully shared, "After I got out I wanted to focus on getting better, and then Dario disappeared on me and that made it difficult to get out. My parents haven't even seen him. I haven't really seen my parents either honestly, but I guess that's my fault. I asked them not to dote on me because it made me feel a bit anxious because… it seemed their eyes were always on me. I've stayed in my room for the most part and only occasionally had dinner with the family downstairs. I did my school here because I know Dario is taking classes at Salem U, and even though I kept my distance, I started to wonder if he didn't want to see me at all. Like I said, he didn't even talk to my parents about me and I stopped myself from asking because it really was getting to me."

Will could hear the sadness in Sonny's voice as he continued to ramble on. "I can explain everything," he cut in. "The reason you haven't heard or seen Dario is because Victor has kept him away from you and your parents."

Puzzled, Sonny asked, "Why would my great-uncle do that?"

"There is a war going on between your family and the DiMera family," Will informed Sonny. "Victor thinks Dario is the reason you went into treatment twice to help with some hostile takeover of Titan, but it's definitely not true."

Sonny's confusion turned into annoyance because the signs were all there and he just didn't allow himself to see it. "I can't believe I didn't catch on to all of this before. I know I should not have agreed to shutting off all social media to focus on improving my life." Trying to make sense of everything, he began to play with his pinky as he admitted, "I was okay when Dario didn't show up when I was released because I wanted some space from him. I decided some things about my relationship with him while I was in treatment. Then it started to get to me because I wasn't hearing anything from him. I kept my phone off, so I am definitely partly to blame. I can't put this all on Victor."

Wanting Sonny to stop beating himself up, Will asked, "Well, did it help at least? How are you feeling?"

"It did a little," Sonny acknowledged. "Victor actually has focused a lot of his energy on me to make sure I didn't hurt myself again, but I missed everyone."

Will wanted Sonny to focus on the present. "It's time you got your life back then – completely got it back."

Getting his life back. This was something Sonny was working on while putting to the side at the same time. Anxiety started to get to him as he wondered what everyone else was experiencing outside the Kiriakis mansion walls. "Dario must have gone through hell thinking I wanted nothing to do with him." He looked to Will and added, "I can't imagine what you and Chad must have gone through as well. Kai and Brian… is Chad mad about all of that? I really screwed everyone over…"

Will hoped he did not negatively trigger Sonny with his presence. That was the last thing he wanted. "Sonny. Don't do this."

Looking away, Sonny tried to stop himself, but he kept picturing how he messed up so much. "Maybe I should just stay away from everyone so I can stop hurting everyone."

"Sonny," Will repeated as he grabbed his friend's shoulders. "You know what's happening here, right? I know you've worked through this already, so stop doubting yourself because of mistakes you made when you weren't thinking clearly." Remembering some advice Sonny gave him years back, Will adoringly encouraged, "Stop feeling guilty and put yourself out there. There will be hard and awkward times, but you need to face those times because when you do, you will see that you are stronger than you realize."

Sonny gave Will another hug realizing how right Will was. He was ready to start living again slowly. He was still afraid that he was not completely 100% better and did not want to fall down again, but even still, he felt hopeful as he declared, "There's so much I need to catch up on."

Downstairs, Maggie walked into the living room and announced, "I talked to Melanie to wish her a happy birthday. She is having fun with Nathan at the Horton Cabin, but she is missing Makenna like crazy. I assured her Melissa is taking good care of the baby at their place. I need to check on Sarah later…" She suddenly stopped because she could see Victor's frustration had increased since the last time she saw him. She hoped he had no clue that she used her call with Melanie to sneak Will inside the mansion to get to Sonny. "Everything okay?" she asked with curious concern.

"No," Victor answered. "Business is going wrong and Titan is losing money because of Kristen and Peter's involvement. I am afraid that if something doesn't give soon, Titan will be no more." He had already fired Jean-Luc and most of the office in Paris for their involvement in helping Peter and Kristen, but unfortunately that backfired and hurt company morale even more.

Maggie had seen Victor agitated before, but this was worse. She recognized it was so bad that it was impacting his decisions and thinking. Approaching him carefully and slowly, she tried to calm him down by telling him, "Just stay relaxed… Things will work out in the end."

"I have to do something," Victor stubbornly retained.

Maggie couldn't help but feel more concerned now. "Victor, make sure you don't do something illegal."

Victor's cell suddenly began to ring. He quickly picked up to answer and began to speak to whoever was on the other side. Maggie watched as Victor's agitation was replaced by fear on his face. "What's going on?" she frightfully asked.

Victor ignored Maggie to continue his phone conversation. "Bo, I need you to repeat what you just told me."

Bo cleared his throat and repeated, "Hope and I are at the pub, and we just saw someone kidnap Brady before he could come inside."

The fear on Victor's face turned into extreme agitation as he said, "Dammit. Tell me everything… everything that you saw. I can't lose my grandson!"


	14. Brady Black

**Chapter 14: Brady Black – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 **R** esting his phone between his right ear and shoulder, Brady spoke to his sister, Belle in his bedroom at the Kiriakis mansion. "It's clear that dad, Marlena, and Victor are still upset with me. I doubt they will ever get over it."

Belle sighed knowing this was hard for Brady. "I've talked to mom and dad about it several times, and I know they care what happens. They will have to accept it though _if_ it's what you want."

Brady got the hint that though Belle was supportive in his decision, she seemed uncomfortable with it. He chose not to call her out on it though because he didn't want to push her away. With an assuring tone, he stated, "The way things are now – I'm happy."

"Well, I am happy for you," Belle told her brother making him happy – though he still wondered how happy she truly was.

Looking at the fancy digital clock beside his bed, Brady thanked his sister before telling her, "I should go."

"I should, too, because Claire just got here with her teacher," Belle replied. "We'll talk later after lunch in the office."

Brady agreed knowing Belle and Shawn were having lunch with Claire and her teacher today. "Tell Shawn and Claire hello for me."

* * *

 _Friday, November 7th, 2014_

* * *

Bo told his father that he and Hope were filing a report to start their search for Brady. He added officers would be by later to question him for any possible leads. After hanging up with Bo, Victor was immediately on the phone continually calling Brady's cell only to get no answer every time. This was so frustrating and Victor hated feeling powerless.

Sonny and Will walked down the stairs to leave. Stalling for a moment, Sonny glanced into the room and noticed Victor was on the phone. He didn't realize what was going on and pushed Will out the door so they could sneak out together.

In the living room, Victor grumbled, "I may have to hire new men because they have not been able to track down Brady at all. Brady's phone must have been thrown out the window so we can't track his gps."

Noting the look on Victor's face, Maggie shared her concern. "Victor, I understand you are worried about Brady, but I also want you to think so you don't make things worse. We need to focus on finding Brady without adding fuel to the flame." She tried to move closer as she reminded him, "The police should be on their way over to question you about who would do this to Brady. We should just help them and let them take the lead."

Victor shook his head and ranted, "It's obvious who did this," before announcing, "It's time to make the DiMeras pay."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

After ending the call with his sister, Brady rushed downstairs to head out. He bumped into Victor, who was about to leave as well. "I'm surprised to see you here," he told his grandfather.

Victor was surprised to see Brady there as well since they saw each other in the office earlier. "What are you doing home?"

Knowing he needed to be vague for his own sanity, Brady shared, "I'm meeting someone for lunch."

Smelling a hint of his grandson's cologne, Victor knew who Brady was meeting with and laid into him. "There is such a thing as keeping the enemy too close."

"We've already had this discussion numerous time," Brady objected, "…so I'm only going to say it one more time – everything is okay."

Unable to leave it alone, Victor firmly directed, "Brady, use your damn brain for once. She's still going to get what she came here for."

Brady dropped his head giving up on trying. "I need to go. Please don't do anything crazy while I'm gone. You're still getting what you want as well."

* * *

 _Friday, November 7th, 2014_

* * *

Exiting her car after arriving home, Delphi had her phone in her hand concerned because she couldn't reach Peter since receiving the same ominous text Kristen received. Hoping their son would know something, she dialed Ezra's number as she approached the front door. He picked up. "Hey son," she released as she began to rummage through her purse for her keys. "Have you…"

Suddenly, Delphi was grabbed from behind causing her to drop her purse and phone. She yelled as the man pulled her away from the Blake mansion towards a blacked out van. "Let me go!" she yelled again before throwing her left foot back stepping on her kidnapper's foot.

"You bitch!" the man screamed as he let her go.

Delphi powerfully pushed the man to the ground and brutally kicked him again before running towards her home. "Leave me alone," she exclaimed.

Another man impatiently exited the sketchy van, pulled out a gun with a silencer, and shot Delphi to stop her from getting away. Looking at the man on the ground, he abrasively instructed, "Grab her and let's get out of here."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Realizing how late it was, Brandon and Cameron began to gather the kids together at the park so they could head out. Johnny approached them and asked, "Do we really have to go?"

Jade pulled herself off the bench happy they were heading home because she was holding Sydney, who had fallen asleep. To urge her nephew to comply, she said, "Your mum and dad should be home before long."

Johnny's mood quickly changed because he had a finished art piece he wanted to show his parents. "We have to get ready for them."

Since Cameron was helping with the kids and Jade had her own car, he offered, "I can take Ciara and Theo if you just want to head home."

Before Brandon could answer, a group of five tall masked men approached them with loaded guns pointed at them. "Do as we say, and no one will get hurt."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Meanwhile, Will met up with Chad in the parking lot at the Horton Town Square. With a smile upon his face, he proudly announced, "Sonny is on his way to meet with Dario on the pier." Taking Chad's hand, he gleefully shared, "All four of us will be able to get together in time for my birthday."

Chad gave Will a kiss before saying, "I'm happy that's actually happening now. I know Dario has gone crazy without Sonny." Hearing footsteps behind them, Chad turned around and shielded Will. "The hell?"

It was Ezra. "Sorry if I scared you," he said with some urgency in his voice. Glancing between Chad and Will, he thought about his last real interaction with them and how Will seemed to still care about him. "I'm sorry for how I acted at your Halloween party, but that's not why I approached you. I think I need your help. I think something happened to my mom. She called me, and I heard a lot of screams."

Fearing that Victor was up to something, Chad decided, "I'll call EJ." He stopped himself when he remembered, "…but they're on their way back to Salem. I'll just send him a text." Chad sent EJ: "Something has happened related to Peter. Call me ASAP."

Will figured they should head somewhere for safety. "Let's go to my mom's to make sure the kids are okay. You can come, too, Ezra." He wondered if he should give Dario a call as well.

Ezra pointed to his car and said, "I'm parked over there."

Chad directed them towards his car. "We should ride together so we don't get separated."

As they headed to Chad's vehicle, a larger group of men showed up with guns. One said, "If you care for your lives, you won't do anything stupid." Chad, Will, and Ezra put their hands up knowing there was nothing they could do at this point.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

After leaving Will at the Horton Town Square, Sonny slowly walked down the stairs on the pier. His heart was pounding so hard and fast because he couldn't believe he and Dario were finally going to see each other after all this time. Taking the last step down onto the pier, he studied his surroundings before turning around to see Dario sitting on an old rusted bench not too far away.

Dario had not seen Sonny yet, so it gave Sonny a chance to take him in before he made his presence known. He delicately moved closer to Dario and noted how he kept his eyes ahead towards the docks. Dario's legs were shaking in excitement and anticipation and Sonny knew this was it. "Dario," he said through a huge smile. His face lit up even more when he saw Dario's smile as well.

Standing immediately after seeing Sonny's warm face, Dario felt the breeze of the night flow through his hair. He could barely wait to touch Sonny again and began to walk towards him. "Is this really happening?" He thought about how he was going crazy without Sonny and wondered if this was all in his head because it had been so long. Now standing in front of Sonny, Dario stalled for a moment because he wanted to make sure he respected Sonny in whatever boundaries he set. "Jackson…" They were so close.

Before Dario and Sonny could embrace, a group of men raided the pier. They pushed Sonny back and on the ground before grabbing Dario to drag him off.

Sonny quickly pulled himself up and yelled, "Dario!" He was completely horrified by what just happened.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

After landing at the Salem Airport, EJ and Sami got off the DiMera jet. EJ looked at his phone and saw the text message from Chad saying there was trouble with Peter. "No… This isn't happening."

Sami could see the worry in EJ's eyes and sincerely asked, "What? What is it?"

"There's trouble," EJ announced as he pushed the call button to call Chad. The phone rang until voicemail picked up. "Chad's not answering…"

Sami began to panic. She called Will and then Jade. "I'm not getting anyone at the mansion."

After another attempt to call Chad, EJ tried calling Kristen. Fortunately, she picked up. "Kristen, what's going on? Samantha and I just arrived to Salem."

The concern could be heard in Kristen's voice as she answered, "Lexie, Jen, and I are on our way to find Peter. We believe he's at Titan about to cause more problems."

"I will meet you there," EJ told her. "Keep me updated." After ending the call, he turned to his wife and said, "Let's get into the car and go."

Needing to know more, Sami directed, "Tell me what's happening."

After instructing the driver where they were going, EJ joined Sami in the limo and promised, "Everything is going to be okay," before revealing, "Chad sent me a text about a possible problem involving Peter and when I talked to Kristen, she told me she was heading to Titan to find Peter with Alexandra and Jennifer Horton."

"Everything better be okay," Sami said as the limo headed for Titan. In her mind, she wondered what Peter could be up to and why Lexie and Jen were with Kristen on this.

Shaking his head, EJ blurted, "Peter better hope he did nothing stupid."

"Victor either," Sami added as she continued to try to call Will and Cameron. After her last attempt, she complained, "No one else is picking…"

The limo was suddenly hit really hard sending EJ and Sami to one side. EJ quickly reacted and grabbed Sami's face. "Samantha… are you okay?"

Sami was a bit disoriented. "What… what the hell was that?"

Rubbing his shoulder, EJ was starting to think this day was against them. How could they be in an accident now of all times? "Let's get out and assess the damage to see if we need another vehicle." Helping Sami out of the limo, he quickly froze when he saw men with guns waiting for them. "What the hell is this?" he demanded to know.

One of the men stepped forward and said, "You were warned, and now it's too late. If you want to see your family, you will get in voluntarily without another word."

Dropping his hand from his shoulder, EJ turned to Sami and gave her a nod. Sami pushed a specific button on her cell phone as they got into the van.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

With a blindfold over his eyes, Brady was brought into his office in Titan. The office was empty since it was after hours and Victor sent all of his men out to look for Brady, which Peter counted on him doing. This was the last place Victor would think Peter would go. After taking the blindfold off, Peter told Brady, "You need to hand over your shares so you can save Titan before it is completely gone."

Brady glared at Peter and said, "There's no way in hell that's going to happen."

Peter allowed a laugh to escape his lips as he shook his head. "My dear sister, Kristen, really does love you, and I can't allow that to continue, so I need those shares before my sister completely loses it. I overheard her talking to herself about her feelings for you."

Brady repeated his answer from before. "There's no way in hell I'm ever signing off my Titan shares like Philip."

Peter stopped shaking his head. "That's too bad." He pulled out a gun and pointed it at Brady.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Brady entered JoJo's Southern Steakhouse and was greeted by Adrienne, who had a few menus in her hand. "Brady, how are you?"

Brady energetically smiled and answered, "I'm well. How are you?"

"I'm great," Adrienne said with warmth before appreciatively stating, "I want to thank you for stopping by the hospital yesterday to congratulate Sonny. We had a relaxing dinner last night."

Showing some awkwardness, Brady commented, "It was nothing."

Deciding to move on, Adrienne asked, "Are you solo today?"

Relieved Adrienne moved on, Brady denied it. "I need a table for two."

With her mind still on what happened at dinner the night before, Adrienne smartly replied, "I should have known better. Do you want to wait for your date to arrive?"

"I'll wait," Brady decided.

Adrienne put a few menus away so she only had two left in her hand. "I'll set up your table for you then."

Looking the place over, Brady mentioned, "Business seems to be going well."

"It sure is," Adrienne agreed before walking away.

A moment later, Kristen entered the restaurant. When she saw Brady sitting in the waiting area, she approached him and said, "Hi Brady…"

* * *

 _Friday, November 7th, 2014_

* * *

Back at the Titan offices, Peter still had his gun pointed at Brady. "This is your last chance to change your mind. Don't be a fool."

Peter's gun seemed to change things a bit. Brady hesitated in repeating his previous answer once more because he wasn't sure if Peter would actually shoot him if he denied him the Titan shares he wanted. Thinking about it, he realized Peter may shoot him either way. "No," he released ready to accept his fate.

Peter dropped his gun clearly frustrated with Brady's answer. "Dammit…"

Brady sighed immediately believing he had called Peter out on his bluff.

"You really do have balls. I clearly read you all wrong," Peter admitted as he kept his eyes on Brady. He rolled his shoulders as he bent his neck from side to side. "It really is unfortunate I have to get rid of you," he sarcastically lamented as he directed his gun towards Brady once again. "This is all on you!"

Fortunately for Brady, Kristen, Lexie, and Jen rushed into Brady's office. Seeing the gun pointed at Brady, Kristen reacted quickly and stood in front of him. "Peter, what are you doing?"

Annoyed, Peter motioned to the side with the gun. "Move Kristen. I can't lose you to this bastard who is actually a DiMera and wants no part in the family." He couldn't believe Brady didn't want something he desperately wanted – everything that came with being a DiMera.

Figuring she needed to try to do something, Lexie carefully caught Peter's attention. "No one is going to lose anyone if you just put the gun down. Think this through." She turned to Brady and gave him a nod so that he would cooperate with her. "We can just walk out of here and pretend this didn't happen."

Lexie's phone interrupted the moment. She received a text message from Celeste. It read: "Darling, is Theo with you? I sense something is wrong."

Lexie decided not to respond to her mother as Peter tightened his grip on the gun. Brady stretched his hands out slowly and tried to appeal to Peter. "Put the gun down, man."

"Move out of the way, Kristen," Peter directed his sister again.

Kristen did not budge. "You will have to shoot me if you want to get to Brady because I love him. This is over, Peter. The shares are in my name, and I will give them back to Brady."

The belief that he had lost his sister now only made Peter more upset. "I can't believe I lost you to this idiot," he complained with the gun still pointed at Kristen and Brady.

Fearing Peter may actually shoot Kristen now, Jen realized she had to say something. "Peter… stop this! This isn't you. I know you're better than this."

Peter turned his attention somewhat towards Jen. Her presence confused him. "You know that I'm not a good person."

Jen could see she had broken through some of Peter's defenses, so she continued to appeal to him. "Peter, I know Stefano warped your mind. I am Kristen's friend, and I remember who she was before Stefano twisted her around. Your sister is a good person now, and you can change as well. You just have to show us that person again." Kristen turned her attention to Jen because of what she said about her. Jen kept going, "Think about Ezra. I know Ezra wants a good father. Think about your son."

Peter closed his eyes as he reflected on the tension between him and Ezra. As much as he hated it, Jen got to him, and he knew he had lost his mind if he thought this plan would actually give him what he wanted. "I'm sorry…"

Peter began to lower the gun when Victor's men suddenly rushed inside with guns pointed at everyone in the room. Brady quickly stepped forward with his hands out. "Whoa. Stand down! Stand down! No one is getting hurt tonight! Everything is okay!"

Jen moved in closer to Peter and quickly took his gun before he could react. "It's okay. We're good." She swallowed hard as she realized how this was way closer to danger than she wanted.

As Victor's men put their guns down, Kristen and Brady turned to each other wondering what would happen next.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

After being checked out by the police at the hospital, Brady arrived to the Kiriakis mansion to confront his grandfather. When he entered the main room, he discovered he was already getting it from a few people. Bo and Hope were disappointed Ciara got pulled into this, while Melissa and Sarah were trying to convince Maggie to walk away from Victor.

Trying to get everyone to calm down, Maggie turned to her daughters and said, "That's enough. We are not moving out."

Sarah was adamant about her mother kicking Victor to the curb. "Mom, can't you see Victor for who he is? Justin and Adrienne moved into their new home that they built recently, and we can do the same."

Melissa cut in, "I can talk to Nathan and I'm sure he will let us stay with him while it's built." She knew Nathan did not like Victor either.

Cutting in, Brady gave Bo and Hope a serious look as he requested, "Can I have a moment alone with my grandfather?"

"We are done for now anyway," Bo replied. He was clearly flustered by everything that happened tonight. Turning to Hope, he said, "We should pick up Ciara."

Hope agreed feeling grateful that her daughter was not harmed physically in any way. "I'll call Chelsea to tell her we are on our way."

When Bo and Hope left without a goodbye, Maggie noted the look of frustration on Victor's face and decided she would have to talk to him alone later. For now, she needed to get her daughters out of the room, so Brady could clear the air about what happened tonight. "Melissa, Sarah… we can talk upstairs in the library. F.Y.I. I will be doing most of the talking."

After Maggie, Melissa, and Sarah left, Victor went over to pour himself a glass of water. His mouth was dry from all the screaming he had done earlier. "What did you tell the cops?"

Standing tall, Brady firmly answered, "Nothing."

Nothing? Victor took a quick sip of water before turning to face his grandson. He could see Brady was serious. "What the hell are you thinking? Why didn't you put Peter and Kristen behind bars where they belong? Your life was in danger for god's sake."

Pointing to the ground, Brady showed he did not have the patience to fully deal with his grandfather. "Stop. Just stop for a minute and look around you. You messed up, too." Shaking his head in disappointment, he revealed, "The only reason Peter isn't going to jail is because you messed up as well. I did it to protect you, grandfather. With Kristen's help, I managed to make a deal with Peter."

"Deal? What kind of deal?"

Brady watched as Victor took another drink of his water. "I promised Peter I would leave him out of what I told the police as long as he didn't say anything about how Delphi ended up in the hospital due to a gunshot wound. I managed to get the shares back as well."

"I did whatever I had to do to get you back, Brady," Victor argued. Brady was the only thing that mattered to him in that moment.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Brady coldly told Victor, "Well, you failed once again. Delphi is in surgery as we speak. You better hope she survives or all bets are off!"

Victor was not a fan of how Brady was talking down at him. "Do not talk to me like I don't know how the game works. This isn't over."

Flexing his muscle out of habit, Brady was not going to back down. "You need to stop and listen. If you don't back off on this war with the DiMera family and the Blakes, I will walk. I will walk and you will lose everything." He noted Victor was still annoyed and not amused by his tone. He also noted Victor didn't seem to take him seriously. "Titan is only floating because of me, and if you want to see it succeed you need me to stay. It's time you finally see the world for what it is now. Your time as this all-powerful king is coming to a close."

For the first time, Victor remained quiet and had nothing to say to Brady.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Brady and Kristen were now sitting at the table Adrienne had set up for them at her restaurant. Kristen raised her eyes and playfully asked, "Did you get hell for our relationship today like I did?"

Brady grinned and nodded his head. "It makes our relationship a little more exciting," he admitted.

Laughing, Kristen replied, "I think that's got to be a little scary for you considering who I am. I am already too much excitement for the average human being."

"It's a good thing I'm not your average joe," Brady quipped with a wink. His smile grew as he reflected on how much Kristen brought to his life. Taking her hand, he said, "I hope nothing or no one takes this away."

Kristen watched as Brady rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. She didn't want to lose this either. "I'm not worried. I put things in place to make sure that never happens."

Raising his eyebrows, Brady's curiosity was piqued. "You have things in place?"

With a small giggle, Kristen looked down and sipped on her drink before claiming, "I'm going to make sure you get everything you have ever wanted in life."

Though Kristen's response was vague, Brady did not mind. "I kind of want to know more, but I like playing with the unknown," he admitted.

Lifting her drink, Kristen toasted, "To the unknown."

"To the unknown."


	15. Chad DiMera and Will Horton

**Chapter 15: Chad DiMera and Will Horton – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 _ **N**_ _orthern Lights_ by 30 Seconds to Mars began to sound through the speaker from Will's phone. It was his alarm, and it always did the trick in waking him up. After turning the song off, Will looked over to Chad, who was still asleep and holding onto him. Knowing what he had to do, Will yanked the blanket off of them causing Chad to hold onto Will tighter.

"I want to stay in bed a little longer," Chad released as he shivered a bit. This was the first morning he woke up next to Will in some time.

Will didn't verbally respond to Chad's request. Instead, he let his hand go down Chad's back and into Chad's royal blue briefs.

Chad opened his eyes and looked up into Will's eyes. "What are you doing?" he asked through a flirtatious smile.

Will mischievously smiled and answered, "I'm trying to get you to wake up because we have a lot to do today."

Chad lowered his hand from Will's well-defined abs into Will's sky blue briefs before lifting his head to kiss Will on the lips. As he gently stroked with his left hand, he moved his lips down to Will's neck causing Will to go a bit crazy with delight. "We are definitely staying in bed a tiny bit longer. I don't think I got enough dessert last night."

Even though Chad was working his magic, Will tapped into all of his strength and managed to jump out of bed and away from Chad. Chad tried to pull Will back, but Will held off and said, "We can't do this. Do you want to take the first shower or do you want me to?"

Chad slowly got out of bed and questioned, "Why can't we shower together?" He quickly pulled down his briefs before kicking them across the room.

Will looked Chad over, noted Chad was still in the mood, bit his lip, and pointedly answered, "You know why."

Though he knew Will was right, Chad still gave him a somber look as he acknowledged, "We both have to go to work."

Nodding his head, Will wrapped his arms around Chad because he couldn't take the sad face he was giving him even if it was a playful one. "I will be at work later because I want to visit my great-grandma at the hospital to make sure she's okay."

Chad held Will and relaxed his head on Will's bare shoulder. He was tempted to tickle Will behind his ear with his lips, but he refrained. "We should shower together to save water and time then. I promise I will behave."

Nestling into Chad, Will didn't want to deny Chad's request. He eyed Chad's nipple for a moment because he knew that was Chad's weakness. "Okay," he agreed and continued, "…even though I'm not sure if I'll be able to behave." His hands fell down Chad's back just above his ass. "Let's take a shower, handsome."

* * *

 _Thursday, October 31st, 2013_

* * *

In his Tarzan costume, Will entered the storage room of The Chill and found Chad alone. "Hey… what are you doing?" He approached Chad and started to kiss him before he could answer.

Chad awkwardly pulled away from Will and began to look through a box. "I was looking for something," he claimed trying to appear busy.

Noticing that Chad seemed a bit distant, Will grabbed his neck and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Sighing, Chad knew he couldn't keep Will in the dark completely. He stopped rummaging through the box to grab Will's hand. "I just needed to take a breather. I'm stressed because there are some things I wish I could fix."

Will looked down in shame and asked, "Did it happen again?"

Chad realized he really did have Will back after a recent memory lapse. He was distant because he wasn't complete sure if Will was all there and didn't want to do something that would upset him. "I'm so sorry," he released knowing he shouldn't keep anything from his boyfriend. "I'm sorry that I let this get to me, but I want to be honest with you as well."

Will pulled Chad's hand close to his body. "Honesty is important. I'm sorry, too."

"Will…" Chad exhaled disappointed in himself. "I don't want you to feel sorry for something you can't control."

Unable to let it go, Will turned away from Chad. "So what did I forget this time?"

Before Chad could tell him about their run-in with Cameron, Josh suddenly entered the storage room and announced, "Will, your uncle and aunt are looking for you and Chad."

Following Josh out, Will and Chad found Rex and Cassie waiting for them near the front entrance. "Hey!" Will greeted them both with hugs.

Noting Will's and Chad's costumes, Cassie smiled and shared, "Rex and I decided to fly in from Chicago at the last-minute because Rex has news. I'm totally digging your costumes by the way. Tarzan and George of the Jungle never looked so good."

Turning to Josh, Chad requested, "Ask Dario or Brian to check in with the next band to make sure they're ready for their next set."

"Okay," Josh agreed and left.

Moving closer to his uncle, Will apprehensively asked, "What's your news?"

Rex became very serious as he intensely looked into Will's eyes. "I've been running tests on the solution Chad gave me after the explosion in Urbino – the one used on you," he reminded his nephew before looking over at Chad. "I believe I have discovered why Will is having memory issues."

Notably intrigued, Chad wondered, "Which is?"

Taking off his light jacket so he could get comfortable, Rex started, "As you know, Nathan and I have been working together to figure this out. With his help, we realized that the hospital ran tests on Will after his attack on the pier because of how quickly he healed. We found those results in a secure location thanks to Lexie, who explained she wanted to keep them in a safe place."

"What does this all mean?" Will wondered tracking his uncle's words closely.

"Nathan and I compared the results and found some similarities, but there are some differences as well. Most importantly in the solution that was injected in you while we were in Urbino, Will, there is something that may cause memory issues," Rex reported.

Will agreed with Rex's assessment and shared, "That would make sense considering when I was injected on the pier in 2012, I couldn't remember the attack."

Chad turned to Will and asked, "Did you have long-lasting problems with your memory after your attack on the pier though?"

Will denied it. As Chad started thinking to himself, Will asked his uncle, "What's the next step because my memory seems to only get worse."

Rex hated that this was happening to his nephew. "While Nathan works from here and shares his notes with me, I'm currently working on a possible cure back at my lab. I'm hoping to have something done soon."

Coming out of his thoughts, Chad patted Rex on the back and said, "If you need anything, let me know."

Wishing this nightmare would end, Cassie encouraged the others by saying, "Everything will be fine because I know my brother will figure things out."

Chad wanted to believe Cassie, but he couldn't help but notice a weird look shared between Rex and Cassie. He turned to Will hoping that things didn't get worse. This was all his fault.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

In the basement at The Chill, Chad told Josh that they would be without Will for a while because of Caroline being in the hospital. Josh assured him everything would be fine, and that he had picked up a lot from Will since working with him. Chad patted Josh on the back and said, "I know the studio is in good hands."

Josh thought about how he took a manager role after Brian had to leave Salem. Though each had their moments, he did enjoy working with Chad, Will, and Dario. "Thanks man."

"Hey guys," Dario announced himself after arriving to work.

Chad turned around and greeted Dario after patting him on the back. "Hey man. How's Sonny?"

With a huge grin across his face, Dario positively replied, "Sonny is well. Things went great last night."

Chad's phone suddenly began to ring. When he looked at the screen, he showed confusion on his face and said, "I'll be back." As he rushed upstairs to answer the call, Chad wondered why Cameron was calling him when he usually called Lexie if he needed something. "Hey bro."

"I'm sorry if I intruded on anything," Cameron released on the other side. "Something strange just happened…"

Now on the ground floor, Chad found a chair to sit on as he questioned, "Everything alright?"

"I'm not sure," Cameron admitted before explaining, "I got a strange text today, and I believe it's from Stefano." He didn't know what to think because this would be the first time Stefano reached out to him if the text message was indeed from him.

"Why do you think that?"

Cameron's voice quivered as he shared, "The number isn't local and in it I was called son in Italian. I used my translating app just to be sure. I know it wasn't either of my moms because I was with Celeste when I received it, and Maxine is assisting in a surgery."

Chad felt a chill go through his body. "Send me the text so I can look at it."

"I'll send you a screen shot," Cameron decided. "If you figure anything out let me know."

Chad promised he would and ended the call. He remained seated as he waited for Cameron to send him the screen shot. He wondered if Stefano was going to ruin this weekend. Receiving the text from Cameron, he read the mysterious text message Cameron got. He shook his head and decided, "I need to call EJ."

* * *

 _Sunday, January 5th, 2014_

* * *

"I apologize for just barging in like this, but I need to know if you've made any progress." Chad flew out to Chicago and met with Rex at his apartment.

Rex had just received a text from Cassie's assistant saying she was canceling their date for the night. He was a bit miffed by it, so he welcomed Chad's random visit because he needed a distraction. Noting Chad was alone, Rex accepted his nephew's boyfriend's apology and asked, "How is Will doing?"

Thinking about how he had to put uncovering his mother's secrets on hold, Chad shook his head and shared, "Will has gotten worse. First, Will had to step down as V.P. of Kappa. It was really hard for Will to let everyone down including himself. The holidays were especially hard because it seems Will has forgotten we are building a home together. He keeps asking about the 'random' key hanging around his neck. I had to put a halt on our home because Will and I are supposed to do this together."

Rex gave Chad a solemn look. "I'm sorry this is taking so long. Nathan just sent me his final notes."

Rex's answer made Chad feel even more hopeless because it sounded like Rex hadn't completed a cure. "I'm desperate here. I can't lose Will – not after we've worked so hard to be together."

The urgency in Chad's voice only made Rex want to push himself harder. "Most of my research is in my lab, but I can tell you what I've done so far. I have done further testing into the make-up of the solution in the vial that you gave me, and I know for sure it is causing Will's memory issues. While I'm still testing for the other properties, I believe the prolonged and possibly permanent memory loss was added purposely. Nathan and I have taken brain scans of Will and noted there are some issues connected to memory. It looks like the early signs of Alzheimer's but I'm not sure it will come to that."

Hearing this news caused Chad to hit the top of his head. "Shit!"

As Chad began to shake his head, Rex moved his head down and asked, "What do you know?"

Chad stopped shaking his head and admitted, "I believe Rolf gave those vials to me purposely hoping that I would use them on myself. He and my father probably wanted me to forget everything that Stefano did so Stefano could manipulate me later. Instead, I used it on Will, and now Will is suffering because of who I am." Really struggling with what this all meant, Chad voiced his internal dialogue, "But would Stefano really want me to have Alzheimer's? Maybe not, but maybe I'm a fool for giving Stefano the benefit of the doubt. He's always surprised me with how truly selfish he is in the end."

Rex couldn't believe what Chad was telling him, but, at the same time, he could. "Chad, Rolf is an evil scientist and I believe there is more to uncover here. Rolf and Stefano are the ones who did this. I will make sure I put a stop to it!" He wished he had really killed Rolf all those years ago and had stayed with Rolf's body after he and his ex, Mimi, believed they had gotten rid of it.

"How?"

Rex placed his hands on his hips. "By studying the scans on Will's brain, I believe I have created a cure. My only issue is that I haven't been able to test it, which is a complication in itself because who can I test it on?"

"Me," Chad swiftly volunteered without a thought.

With an uneasy look, Rex told Chad, "That's not a good idea because you're not even in the same condition as Will."

To show he was set on doing this, Chad crossed his arms over his chest. "You must still have some of the serum from the second vial. I could inject myself with it and then take the cure."

Rex still felt very uncomfortable with this plan and tried to dissuade Chad once more. "Even if I let you do this, we'd have to wait a while to see if you would experience the same symptoms as Will and then see if the antidote would actually cure the memory issues and clear up the issues in a brain scan. It's possible the serum may have impacted Will this way because of his genetic makeup. There's so much we still do not know."

Not backing down, Chad simply said, "Okay."

"Chad, this is a bad idea because it's possible the cure won't work," Rex maintained.

Shrugging his shoulders, Chad replied, "I don't care because it's the only idea we have. I've made up my mind, and like your sister, I trust you because you're a super genius. I know you're doubting yourself, but you've managed to come this far, right?" He thought about how Stefano created Rex to be super intelligent, but he did not want to say that because he feared it would put Rex off on doing more.

After a moment to process what this plan meant, Rex took a deep breath before saying, "If we do this, you will need someone to check in with daily in Salem. The vial is at my lab, and you can make that call on the way over there."

Chad dropped his hands to grab his phone. "I'll call Dario and update him on what's happening and I'll make appointments with Nathan so he can make sure I'm okay, too." He thought about telling EJ about his plan, but with their issues of trust, he knew he couldn't. "I'll call Lexie as well," he decided.

Grabbing his coat, Rex put it on and said, "We should go then." He was really glad Cassie's assistant canceled on him now.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

At the hospital, Will sat with his great-grandmother in her hospital room. Sami was there as well. It really bothered him that he wasn't there when the incident happened, but he was happy to know she would be okay. "Are you sure you don't want me to try to cancel things this weekend?"

Caroline patted Will's hand and said, "I promise I will be out of the hospital soon."

Will saw the dedication in Caroline's eyes and said, "Just take your time. I don't want you to rush your recovery." Scooting closer, he asked, "How did this happen anyway because Chad was mum on the details?"

"That's not important," Sami cut in giving Will a knowing look.

"What's important is that you get better," Will stated to catch Caroline's attention so she did not notice Sami motioning her head to Will to follow her outside.

Will wondered if whatever happened could cause Caroline to have another incident and decided to excuse himself. "I'll be right back. I need to check in with Chad about work."

Sami excused herself as well and followed her son out. They walked past a few of the nurses before finding a corner nearby where they could talk. When the coast was clear, she revealed, "Your great-grandma fainted because of me."

"What?"

Reminding herself that it wasn't exactly her fault, Sami dramatically clarified, "Well, I went to the pub to talk to Chad since I couldn't reach EJ. After talking to you on FaceTime yesterday, I received news from Peter Blake that your Grandpa Roman has gone missing. He wasn't in Germany apparently. He was in Egypt and now he is M.I.A."

A look of realization covered Will's face. "That's why I could never make contact with him. I thought grandpa was just trying to stay away."

Sami sighed and gently rubbed Will's arm. "Don't beat yourself about it. I was mad at him too for disappearing on us, but now I'm wondering if he disappeared on us purposely or if someone took him."

* * *

 _Saturday, January 25th, 2014_

* * *

Chad woke up in Will's arms when his alarm went off. Sticking to a new routine he started more than a month ago since Will's memory issues had become worse, Chad immediately got out of bed and put on the playlist he made for Will from the concert at The Chill. After putting down his phone, he carefully crawled back into bed and kissed Will to get him to wake up. He hoped Will didn't forget they were together again.

Will's eyes opened slowly and when he realized he was kissing Chad, he pushed back and asked, "Is this some kind of joke? Did someone dare you to kiss me?"

Chad realized that Will's mind had gone blank on their relationship. He took Will's hand and reminded him, "Will, we're in a relationship, and we love each other."

Confused, Will wondered, "Do Gabi and Abigail know?"

Glancing towards his phone playing the first song of their playlist, Chad directed Will, "Just listen to the music."

Will laid back and listened as _Arms_ by Christina Perri continued to play. After some time, he realized Chad was watching him which caused him to recognize what was happening. Shamefully shaking his head, he apologized. "I'm sorry this keeps happening."

Minimizing what happened, Chad kissed Will on the forehead before saying, "Sit tight, and I'll make you breakfast."

As Chad put on some clothes, Will grabbed Chad's phone and continued to listen to the music. He smiled as memories from the concert played out in his head.

Chad walked out and found Dario and Sonny sitting around the table eating breakfast. Figuring he could cut some time, he asked, "Is there any breakfast left for Will and me?"

Sonny lifted his head from his plate. "Dario made plenty. I'm not feeling too well, so he had to step in this morning."

Chad looked Sonny over for the first time and noted something was off. "Sonny, what's wrong?"

"I'll be fine," Sonny claimed not really answering Chad's question. He glanced at Dario for a second and noted his boyfriend couldn't even look at him. He really didn't understand why he was still there and debated whether he should tell Dario to head to class.

Chad turned to Dario and noted Dario was worried while purposely keeping his mouth shut. He realized Dario had his doubts that Sonny would be fine. Deciding not to push the subject with Sonny around, he headed to the stove and began to put food on a plate for Will, but there was a sudden knock at the door. "I'll get it."

Chad headed to the front door and opened it to find Roman standing on the other side. Noting there was tension right away, he questioned, "Mr. Brady, what can I do for you?"

"I'd like to talk to my grandson," Roman forcefully announced.

Knowing Will was still collecting himself, Chad shared, "Now is not a good time."

Roman didn't let up. Instead, he walked inside and said, "I need to talk to Will today."

Chad could see Roman seemed to have something important to say when Will suddenly rushed in to ask Chad, "Are you bi? Why did you make out with Mia?" While listening to Christina Aguilera's _You Lost Me_ , Will was triggered back to the time he caught Chad kissing Mia at Chez Rouge.

Roman gave Chad a dirty look as Dario and Sonny entered the room as well. "The hell, Chad… did you cheat on Will again?"

Chad went blank for a moment and earnestly told Will, "I never kissed Mia. I would never cheat on you."

Losing even more respect for Chad, Roman quipped, "What about the night Will was attacked on the pier?"

Realizing that the solution had gotten to Chad now, Dario stepped in and covered for his second-cousin. "Chad, why don't you go eat breakfast? There's plenty in there."

Feeling rather weak, Chad rubbed his head and agreed to Dario's direction. "Okay."

Will came out of his daze and saw his grandfather before him for the first time. It was as if what happened a few moments ago did not occur. "Grandpa, what are you doing here?"

With Chad gone, Roman could tell Will his reason for being here. Though he was worried about what just happened with his grandson and Chad, he knew he couldn't focus on that now because he figured he had something bigger to tackle. "I came to tell you that I'm leaving Salem today. I wanted to make sure to say goodbye before I leave."

Remembering Roman told him he was moving out of Salem after his retirement on the police force, Will wasn't all that surprised by the announcement. At the same time, he didn't like it. "Do you really want to leave?"

Roman nodded and stated, "I'm free now to do what I've wanted to do for a long time," before claiming, "I want to travel." He moved over and gave Will a hug and added, "I'll be back before you know it."

Sonny watched as Roman and Will said their goodbyes. After Roman headed out, Sonny then turned to Will. He wondered if this was only going to make Will get worse. He thought about how things seemed to be falling apart everywhere. He wondered if this was life now.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

After visiting with his great-grandmother awhile longer, Will walked out of Caroline's hospital room to head to work. Before he arrived to the elevator, he ran into Sonny and warmly greeted him with a hug. "How did yesterday go?"

Sonny held his head high and declared, "It was a day of reflection for sure because everyone came around to remind me of what day it was."

Lifting his eyes, Will knowingly replied, "I wonder if it's a good thing I wasn't in Salem to add to the pressure." He read between the lines of Sonny's response and knew it must have been an overwhelming day for his friend.

With a smile, Sonny clarified, "As much as I'm complaining about it, it was nice to have the support. I really missed you while you were gone."

Will was happy to hear that. "How are things between you and Dario?"

Reflecting on the tension he had with Dario in his fiancé's bedroom earlier, Sonny believed he and Dario were above making it a big deal. They worked too hard to separate now. He continued to beam as he shared, "We are in a good place." Toying with his engagement ring, he added, "I cannot wait to marry Dario."

Will knew exactly how Sonny felt. "It is a great feeling."

"It is," Sonny agreed before noting the time. "I have a patient I need to check on."

Will understood and shared, "I need to head to work, too. We'll talk more later." After a hug, Will praised, "Congrats on another year," before they went their separate ways.

* * *

 _Saturday, February 15th, 2014_

* * *

The alarm went off in Will's bedroom at his and Sonny's apartment. Chad and Will woke up in each other's arms once again, but Chad quickly jumped out of bed and raised his voice as he asked, "What the hell is going on? Why were we cuddling, and where the hell are we?"

Will jumped out of bed as well. He looked around and said, "I don't know the answers to your questions either. How did we get here and why are we naked?"

"What the hell did you do to me?" Chad questioned as he grabbed his junk to hide from Will. He realized they both had morning wood.

Offended by Chad's question, Will threw it back at Chad. "What the hell did you do to me?"

They began to yell at each other trying to make sense of the situation they found themselves in when Dario rushed into the room. "Stop!" he screamed as he shielded his eyes. "Calm down… put some clothes on, and I'll explain everything."

As Chad and Will wondered who Dario was and noted their clothes on the floor, Dario walked over and said, "Will, this is where you live with Sonny, your roommate." He grabbed Chad's phone and pushed play so they could hear their playlist.

Fortunately, Chad and Will found familiarity with the music and what Dario was sharing. "I think I'm remembering something."

"Me, too."

Dario continued to explain, "You two are in a relationship. You fell in love a long time ago… and here we are now… you two waking up after… you… well, you… you know the rest of the story… or you don't… but I really hope this is triggering something…"

As he and Chad continued to put their clothes on, Will remembered everything first while Chad asked Dario, "So Will and I are really together?" After Dario confirmed it, Chad suddenly came out of his loss of memory spell. With confusion all over his face, he asked, "What just happened?" He quickly picked up on the fact that he just experienced an issue with his memory thanks to the serum.

Watching all of this play out before him, Will questioned with concern, "Chad, why is this happening to you, too, now?"

Chad didn't answer. He didn't know how to tell Will that he took the other vial so Rex could test the cure on him later. Rubbing his head, he noted he felt rather weak and didn't understand why the effects were happening faster for him.

"Are you guys hungry?" Dario asked them to help Chad avoid Will's question. "Maybe we can go somewhere for breakfast?"

"Where's Sonny?" Will asked not remembering the answer to his question.

With a sigh, Dario reminded him, "Sonny is gone. Hopefully, he will be released soon."

Will remembered that Sonny went into inpatient treatment due to his mood issues. "Right. The three of us celebrated Valentine's together." As time went on, he was becoming more aware of when he went in and out of the present time.

Wanting to move forward, Dario nodded his head and said, "I appreciate you two for not letting me spend it alone."

Chad felt bad for Dario knowing all of this had to be hard on him. Wanting to put a rush on getting ready, he turned to Will as he continued to rub his head and said, "We should shower so we can head out for breakfast."

Will agreed and followed Chad to the shower giving Dario a solemn look on his way out.

After Chad and Will left, Dario stopped the music on Chad's phone before deciding to call Rex. When voicemail picked up, he said, "It's Dario. Things are getting worse, so I hope you have something in place soon. I don't know how much longer Chad and Will can go. Chad actually seems to be doing worse than Will." Ending the call, he sighed and prayed for healing.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Still sitting near the stage at The Chill, Chad looked his phone over, blew out some air, and hoped, "Life better not get complicated again."

The door suddenly opened. Marcus, the old bartender who worked at the Cheatin' Heart before it was remodeled and rebranded walked in with his band mates. "Chad… we're here…"

Chad stood up and greeted everyone with a firm but casual handshake. "Is everyone ready to head downstairs to do some recording?" The band agreed, so they headed down into the basement.

Chad entered the control room, where Dario and Josh were. He noticed they suddenly got quiet when he walked in. "What's going on?"

Josh looked to Dario to answer because he didn't know what to say. Dario shared, "We were discussing bachelor party plans."

Raising his eyebrows, Chad decided not to say anything else on the subject. Instead, he asked, "Are we ready to get back to work?"

* * *

 _Friday, February 21st, 2014_

* * *

Chad and Dario arrived to the DiMera mansion in a hurry. Meeting Sami and EJ in the foyer, he fearfully asked, "What happened?"

A pregnant Sami didn't waste time slapping Chad's arm. She was clearly irritated and confused. "I want to know what the hell is going on. Will was hanging out with Johnny and Sydney while EJ and I were getting ready to go out for his birthday. Johnny and Sydney were so excited to spend the day with Will because he has been distant. They practically had to beg him to come over in the first place!"

As his uncertainty and fear increased, Chad repeated, "What happened?"

Sami gave Chad a grave look as if to communicate that he shouldn't interrupt her or he would feel her full wrath. This was bad. "So Will was in Johnny's room when all of a sudden he seemed to go blank when EJ walked in. He started to accuse EJ of things that really confused Johnny and Sydney. He admitted that he shot EJ in the head to make sure he could not marry me!"

Chad looked to EJ and could see his brother wasn't happy with how things went down either. "Crap…" He and Will had decided they would limit their time at the DiMera mansion because they didn't want EJ, Sami, or the kids to pick up on how bad Will's memory issues had become. He knew this was a struggle for Will though because he missed his family and it was greatly impacting his mood. He must have given in because of how much he missed them. Will should have told him though. They could have done this together.

"Exactly," Sami complained. "I walked in and saw EJ reminding Will of how things were different. I knew Will was having memory issues, but I didn't realize they had gotten this bad!"

EJ placed his hands on Sami's shoulders because she was stressing herself out even more. "Samantha, you need to calm down." Though he knew about Will's memory issues as well because he was in contact with Nathan about it, he had no idea his step-son had regressed this much.

"Where is Will now?" Chad asked not wanting to waste more time.

EJ began to rub Sami's shoulders and answered, "William has locked himself in your old room."

Shaking her head and trying to calm herself down, Sami added, "Will thinks he's going crazy. Help him! You can explain everything to me after!"

When Chad began to climb the stairs, Dario stopped him and asked, "Do you need help with Will?"

Chad gave Dario an appreciative look but declined. "I've got this. I'll pull Will out of this again."

Sami quickly glanced at EJ and Dario as she wondered what _again_ meant.

After heading upstairs, Chad made his way to his old bedroom. He knew he had to approach this carefully, so he knocked upon the door and waited for Will to respond.

"Go away!" Will shouted.

Chad moved his head closer to the door and claimed, "But I want to talk to you." A moment of silence followed, but then Chad could hear steps coming towards the door.

The door opened a bit. Will peeked out and looked at Chad with uncertainty. "Who are you and why do you want to talk?"

Looking deep into Will's blue eyes, Chad answered, "I knew your great-grandma Alice. She helped me once, and I would like to return the favor."

Will allowed himself to get lost in Chad's eyes because he saw love in them – the same love he saw between his great-grandparents in pictures and home videos that the Hortons watched during the holidays and other family gatherings. Opening the door all the way, he let Chad in. "What do you want to talk about?"

Feeling a sense of nostalgia, Chad looked around the spacious room and answered by asking his own question. "Why did you choose this room to hide in?"

Will looked the room over as well before admitting, "There's a familiarity to it, but I don't know why."

Will's answer gave Chad hope. He shared, "This is actually my bedroom."

Embarrassed, Will was surprised to find out Chad lived at the DiMera mansion. "I'm sorry for locking myself in your room."

Placing his hands in his pockets and raising his shoulders, Chad responded, "It's okay. It's been a long time since I've shared this bedroom with anyone."

Confused, Will asked, "Why would you share a room in the DiMera mansion?"

Chad contained his smile because Will's innocence brought back the early memories of their friendship. He didn't mind having to talk about them. "I had this friend who needed a place to stay… and, at the time, the other free rooms were being redecorated… so… me and this friend had to share a room – this room."

Will turned his attention to the bed. "I guess it wasn't terrible since there's a lot of space."

Chad beamed as he looked toward the bed as well. Nodding his head, he admitted, "My friend and I didn't need too much space because we learned we liked to cuddle."

Will gave Chad a weird but interested look. "Did you and your friend really like to cuddle?"

Chad confirmed it with another nod and a quiet small chuckle.

"Did… was there more than cuddling involved?" Will released before swallowing hard. There was something with the way Chad was looking at him that caused him to wonder something.

Trying to play off the intensity Will seemed to be experiencing, Chad answered, "It was just cuddling and maybe a strip show… oh and a lap dance…"

"Really?" Will was clearly shocked.

Chad began to laugh which Will found contagious. Even though Will was laughing, a sadness came over Chad because nothing he was saying was triggering Will's memory. He was starting to worry he wouldn't be able to bring Will back to him this time. What if he was too late?

Noting the sudden sadness in Chad, Will found it hard to keep laughing. He wondered if he may have triggered bad memories for his new acquaintance. "What happened… to your friend?"

Lost in his fear, Chad admitted, "I'm afraid I may have lost him."

"Do you love him?"

"With all my heart."

Will didn't hesitate to grab Chad's hand hoping to comfort him. "Who's the lucky guy? Is he as handsome as you?"

Hoping he could get Will to remember, Chad locked eyes with him and said, "He has the most beautiful blue eyes." He swallowed hard before confessing, "It's you, Will. It's always been you."

Will's walls came right back up as he pulled away. "You're a liar."

Chad followed Will and stood in front of him. "Look into my eyes because this is something I wouldn't lie about."

"Why don't I remember then?" Will painfully countered.

Chad tried to get Will to look into his eyes. "Because Stefano DiMera is an evil man who has only complicated our lives and relationship."

Will tried to keep Chad at bay, but the fact that he could see the love in Chad caused him to break and fall onto the ground in shame. "I wish I could remember, but nothing is coming back to me." He studied the room once more remembering how he found it familiar. Maybe that was the key.

Joining Will on the floor, Chad attempted to hold him together. "It's okay because I am not giving up on us." Will remained somewhat distant as Chad continued, "We're going to build a house with each other. We will have a family together."

Will continued to try to fight what was happening even if he could feel that pull. He and Chad were now crying, and he knew that there was definitely something real between them.

Chad mentally told himself not to give up even though Will's memory hadn't returned. "Will, please return to me," he begged. "I need you to come back to me." Moving in closer, he went for a kiss.

Will closed his eyes and allowed it. As soon as their lips touched, his memory returned. After a moment, he pulled away, opened his eyes, and studied his surroundings. "What's going on? Why are we in your room, Chad?" Holding onto the key Chad gave him after his aunt's wedding, he continued to look around the room for Johnny and Sydney. He realized something and asked, "Did it happen again?" before turning around to see blood coming from Chad's nose.

Chad was holding his key as well when he noticed a fearful look on Will's face. He felt something wet coming out of his nose. Touching the substance with his fingers, he looked down and saw blood on them. "What?" A sharp pain hit his head as he suddenly began to feel weak. His head began to spin as he started to lose consciousness.

"Chad?" Panic hit Will when Chad suddenly fainted. "Chad? What's going on?"

Downstairs, the doorbell rang. Dario answered the door and let Rex and Cassie in. "I'm so happy to see you two."

Rex had a bag in his hand as he announced, "I believe the cure is ready."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Will arrived to find the others working with Marcus's band. Chad immediately greeted him with a kiss. "Hey Handsome. I'm here to work," he flirtatiously reminded Chad.

Chad watched as Will went straight to work to help Josh and Dario since everything was set up now for recording. He couldn't keep his eyes off of him as he told himself, "I can't allow this dark shadow to always be there." Grabbing the key around his neck, he declared, "I have to end this now."

* * *

 _Saturday, February 22nd, 2014_

* * *

Walking into Chad's hospital room with Nathan and Lexie, Rex told Chad, "The test results show that the cure worked, and there don't seem to be any side effects. Your brain scan has returned to normal."

Relieved, Chad directed, "You need to give it to Will now then."

Cassie suddenly rushed in and grabbed her brother's hand. "You're going to want to come to Will's room immediately."

Noting the concern in Will's aunt, Chad pulled himself off the bed. Lexie and Nathan tried to stop Chad, but he told them, "You can't keep me away from Will."

"Let us help you then," Lexie told her brother noting he could barely keep his balance. She put one of his arms over her shoulder as Nathan took the other side.

Chad, Lexie, Nathan, Cassie, and Rex arrived to Will's hospital room to find EJ, Sami, and Maxine trying to hold Will down. "What is going on here?"

Will suddenly looked Chad dead in the eyes and in a monotone voice asked, "What are my orders?"

Chad looked on in fear.

* * *

 _ **Future**_ _: Friday, September 16_ _th_ _, 2016_

* * *

Dancing with Chad in the middle of The Chill as Melanie, Safiya, and Josh performed on stage, Will rested his head on Chad's shoulder. He tried to enjoy this moment after what just happened. "That was crazy," he released unable to clear his thoughts.

When Will lifted his head to look into his eyes, Chad showed he couldn't escape it either. "I hope that the _interruption_ isn't a sign of things to come."

Glancing to the side, Will added, "I hope Dario will be okay."

"Me, too," Chad released before kissing the side of Will's head to catch his attention. Hoping to put his mind at ease, Chad announced, "I've made a decision that will greatly impact our future."

Will gave Chad his full attention as they stopped dancing. He wondered what decision Chad had made.


	16. Jennifer Horton

**Chapter 16: Jennifer Horton – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016**

 **I** nside _The Salem Spectator_ building, Jennifer stood next to Harold Wentworth's desk because she needed an update on an important story they were running. Noting her dear friend had a new picture on his desk, she picked it up and asked, "When did you and Jere take this photo?"

Harold smiled as he admired the photo of him and his husband. "We took that on our last cruise," he cheerfully shared.

Placing the photo back on Harold's desk, she commented, "Right. You two look so happy. We should have lunch together soon."

Harold adjusted the framed photo on his desk so it aligned with his other decor perfectly. Turning his attention back to Jen, he gladly agreed. "I know Jere would love that."

"Thanks again for the update." Jennifer walked away from Harold's desk deciding to check on her daughter, who was sitting at her own desk. "Abby, how are you feeling?"

Habitually rubbing her stomach, Abby shared, "I am doing okay, but I have noticed my hormones seem to be getting worse. I feel bad for Josh at times because he is always on the go to make sure I am happy."

Jennifer rested her hand on Abby's desk. "Josh have a busy day at The Chill?"

"It's a lighter load in some ways," Abby started. "…but I know he has a great deal to do before the wedding." Picking up her phone, she added, "His phone is always going off, and he has to leave a lot."

Grimacing, Jen rubbed her daughter's shoulder. "If you need anything, let me know."

Abby nodded her head before moving on. "Have you decided which photos you want to use?"

Confirming it, Jen shared, "I'll email the ones I decided on. I'll let you get back to work."

Before her mother could leave, Abby sheepishly asked, "Mom, are you still set for dinner with dad?"

Jennifer noted the look on Abby's face and maintained, "Your dad and I are only meeting to discuss your brother's release this weekend."

"Right." Abby chose not to push her mother further. With things on hold between Brandon and her mother and Melissa telling Jack she wanted to focus on her family, Abby wondered if her parents were content on being single for the rest of their lives.

"I will update you on JJ later," Jen stated before walking away.

* * *

 _Saturday, December 12th, 2015_

* * *

Before Abby and Josh's wedding began, Jen stood in the bridal room with her daughter after sending Abby's bridesmaids away. She wanted to have a moment alone with Abby – their last mother-daughter memory before Abby walked down the aisle to marry Josh. She beamed as she stared at her daughter through the mirror.

Abby smiled as she turned to face her mother. "Mom, are you going to start the crying?"

Jen waved her hand trying to dismiss Abby's question. "That already began this morning," she admitted. Grabbing her hand, she shared, "I am so proud of the woman you have become, and I know you will continue to grow and mature with Josh. I hope you know that if you ever need help with anything, that I will still be available to you, but I also know I will have to take a step back now, too."

Abby immediately gave Jen a hug. "I love you so much, mom."

"I love you, too, sweetheart." A sadness suddenly came over Abby, and Jen noted it. "Please tell me my speech didn't depress you."

Looking down, Abby mentioned, "I just thought about how you were once engaged to Daniel, but Daniel disappeared and moved on. I just want you to be happy and to find love again."

Lifting her daughter's head, Jen said, "I will be fine. Don't worry…"

Jack entered the room and clapped his hands together. "I am ready when you are, Abby." Abby smiled at her dad and nodded her head. Jen gave her another hug before Jack took his daughter's hand. "Are you ready to walk down the aisle?"

The moment was finally here. Trying to hold back her tears, Abby verbally answered, "I am dad."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Jennifer headed into her office and found Peter inside waiting for her. Heading to her desk to make sure he didn't touch anything, she questioned, "How did you get in here? You should not be in my office."

Peter stood up and quickly adjusted his sleeves. "I really need to talk to you."

Sitting down and looking over the things on her desk, Jen tried to ignore Peter. "I'm busy." When Peter didn't take the hint, she looked up at him and asked, "How is Delphi?" She hoped by asking about his wife, he would back off.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Peter commented, "So you say you're busy, but you have time to ask about my wife."

Jen leaned back in her chair and pointed out, "I'm sure Delphi doesn't appreciate you coming here when you could be helping her instead."

"Don't get your signals crossed," Peter warned Jen. "…because I only want to discuss business with you. I am happy with my wife, who, by the way, is more than capable of taking care of herself."

"I'm busy," Jen repeated. "You should have scheduled an appointment if you want to discuss business."

Peter pulled out his phone and quickly quipped, "What does your schedule look like?"

Pretending to glance at her schedule for a second, Jen swiftly informed Peter, "Looks like I'm busy until next month. So try again then. Goodbye."

Putting his phone away, Peter headed to leave. "I'll call you later."

"Don't," Jen hastily stated. She looked up after Peter walked out and sighed. "I don't need any kind of distraction," she whispered to herself.

* * *

 _Friday, January 29th, 2016_

* * *

At home, Jennifer was in the kitchen when Lexie called her. "Hey friend…"

"Hey Jen," Lexie replied. Her voice showed some hesitance as she spoke. "I'm sorry, but this isn't a friendly call unfortunately."

Concerned, Jen asked, "What's wrong?"

Lexie cleared her throat before answering, "It's JJ. The hospital believes he stole something from Brandon's office."

Jen's concern now mixed with confusion. "Why would JJ steal something from Brandon's office?"

"I'm not completely sure," Lexie admitted before continuing, "…but it was Brandon's prescription pad. We realized it because prescriptions have been filled under Brandon's name and then sold on the street."

Shaking her head, Jen said, "That's horrible. Why do you think JJ is responsible, and how do you know about what's going on at the hospital when you don't work there?"

Sighing, Lexie shared, "JJ has been left alone in Brandon's office numerous times – Brandon told me, and I was there with him today. Is JJ home?"

"He is not," Jennifer answered trying to process everything Lexie told her. "He should be home soon. I will try to talk to him when he gets back from school. Thanks for calling; I will let you know what I find out."

After hanging up, Jennifer headed up the stairs to find out if JJ had anything in his room. Once in her son's messy bedroom, she looked through his desk and on top of his dresser for clues that might connect him to Lexie's claims. She didn't find anything, so she kneeled down and looked under his double bed. She found a khaki messenger bag. "What's this?"

Pulling the bag by its strap from under JJ's bed, Jen unfolded it. Inside, she found a small spiral notebook. Opening the notebook, she found pages filled with Brandon's full name in cursive. It seemed JJ was practicing his signature. "This isn't happening," she whispered to herself as she continued to turn the pages. She found a list of names she did not recognize. Some of the names were crossed out while others were circled with a note next to them: " _Dig deeper_."

Jen wondered what JJ was up to and decided to put the notebook to the side for now. She looked inside the bag again and uncovered a few of Brandon's prescription pads. She was in complete shock. "Smoking gun…"

JJ suddenly entered his room and saw his mom on the floor. "What are you doing in my room?"

Jen carefully pulled herself up and showed him what she discovered. "What is this, JJ? Explain yourself right now!"

Upset and annoyed, JJ took the notebook away from his mom. "What are you doing digging through my room and stuff? I am eighteen years old, mom. I'm not some kid!"

Studying the look on her son's face, Jen couldn't believe JJ didn't realize how bad this was. She moved closer and reminded him, "You are still my son, and you could get in big trouble for this! Who got you to do this because this isn't you – this isn't something you would do on your own. Who are you selling to?"

Wanting to escape this, JJ shouted, "You're about to ruin everything! I don't have to stick around for this!"

Before JJ could leave, Jen grabbed her son's arm and held it tightly. "You seemed really curious when you asked Brandon if you could shadow him because you were interested in doing Physical Therapy work! Was this all a ruse?"

"Brandon did this, didn't he?" JJ accused. "I will find another place to live so you don't have to go through my stuff anymore!"

This time JJ broke free and rushed out of the room. Jen tried to follow him down the stairs before he could leave, but he was too fast for her. "JJ…" She pulled out her phone to call Jack, but Brandon called her before she could. "Hello," she answered.

"Jen, we need to talk…"

"I know what happened," Jen cut him off.

"How?" Brandon questioned before realizing, "Lexie told you. I asked her to wait to say anything until after I was questioned."

Confused, Jen asked, "You were questioned?"

Brandon confirmed it and explained, "The cops arrived to question me because they found prescription bottles with my name on them. It's possible I could get in trouble."

Closing her eyes, Jen shook her head to think for a moment. "I am so sorry that this happened to you, Brandon. What did you tell the cops?"

Knowing what Jen really wanted to know, Brandon shared, "I didn't mention JJ, but I know that a lot of strong pain medication has been filled under my name to a point that suspicions were raised. I know the cops will continue digging until they get answers."

Jen continued to shake her head. This had really turned into a nightmare. "I am so sorry," she repeated. She knew JJ was in huge trouble.

* * *

 _Monday, February 29th, 2016_

* * *

Arriving to the pier after receiving a call from Lexie, Jennifer found EJ and Lexie sitting with JJ on a bench. Her son was obviously high. "What… what's going on?"

Lexie approached Jen and tried to comfort her. "We found JJ this way. It seems he has taken a few pain pills."

EJ had his arm around JJ to keep him sitting straight. "We figured we should call you so he doesn't get in more trouble."

Jennifer gave Lexie and EJ an appreciative nod moving past her wondering why they would be on the pier to begin with. Now standing in front of JJ, she gently spoke, "Son, let me take you home so we can get you cleaned up. I love you, and I'm here for you."

JJ tried to avoid looking at his mom as he complained, "Don't ruin my moments of happiness!"

Bewildered, Jennifer teared up as she questioned, "You're not happy?"

Looking straight past his mom, JJ shared, "Real happiness doesn't exist! The good guys never win, and the bad guys always have a way to work the system. The good guys can't stay good so the bad guys don't always win, but then the bad guys win because the good guys are now bad."

Wiping her face, Jen grabbed JJ's hand and squeezed it. "JJ, what are you going on about? Who are these bad guys?"

Shaking his head, JJ lamented, "It's too late, mom. I'm the bad guy now."

Standing, EJ helped Jen with JJ so they could take him to her car before anyone else came upon them. "Come on, we're going on a ride."

Jennifer kept her son's arm over her shoulder. She felt so lost. She didn't know what to do to help him.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Back in her office at _The Salem Spectator_ , Jen was getting her things ready to leave while she had her brother on speaker phone. "Mike, I am about to meet with Jack now so we can discuss JJ."

"It will be good to see JJ out even if it's for twenty-four hours," Mike stated hoping his sister wasn't too stressed about it.

Trying to remain calm, Jen changed the subject. "When are you getting to Salem?"

"I'm getting in early Saturday morning with mom and dad," Mike informed her.

Jen smiled and said, "I'm happy that the family will be all together for the wedding."

* * *

 _Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016_

* * *

Jennifer walked into the Horton home, placed her purse on the small table near the door, and looked up the stairs when Jade suddenly appeared at the top of them. "Jade?" She had no idea EJ's sister was there.

With her cell phone in her hand, Jade rushed down the stairs showing great fear in her eyes. "JJ invited me into your home, and I am distraught because he is acting extremely abnormal."

Before Jen could ask questions, JJ popped up at the top of the stairs where Jade once stood. He swiftly and angrily questioned, "Jade, what are you doing? Are you trying to ruin my life once again? Did you call my mom instead of EJ and Lexie like last time on the pier?"

Jen was astonished by the revelation that it was Jade, not EJ and Lexie, who discovered JJ on the pier in February. She was not afforded the time to process this new information unfortunately because JJ suddenly slipped and tumbled down the stairs. Jen rushed to his side and could clearly see he had used pain pills again. "What's going on, JJ? I thought you stopped selling!"

JJ attempted to rub the top of his head and stated, "I did stop selling, but I had a really bad day."

Looking her son over to see if he was hurt, tears fell down Jen's eyes as she said, "I can't let you keep doing this anymore."

Fearing JJ may have hurt himself even more, Jade showed great vulnerability as she said, "JJ, you must cease this type of behavior!"

JJ could see that his mom and Jade were both very upset. He knew he had seriously messed up and that his mistakes had impacted them greatly as well. Feeling extremely down, tears formed under his eyes as he replied, "I keep messing up… I can't help it because Rory… because of dad… I really messed things up with Brandon." He wasn't making any sense and became frustrated and flustered by his inability to share what he was experiencing. Turning to Jade, he began to lash out at her. "Get out, Jade! Leave because you're not making things better!"

Though Jade was clearly affected, Jennifer figured it would be best if she left before JJ said anything else. "It's okay, Jade. I've got this covered from here."

After an ashamed and embarrassed Jade rushed out, Jennifer returned her focus on her son. "This is enough, JJ. Clearly, you can't do this alone, so I will set things up so you get the help you need."

Jade abruptly rushed into the house again. She announced, "I failed to inform you I telephoned the emergency professionals before you arrived, Ms. Horton. They have just arrived!"

Jen's eyes widened because she knew JJ was about to get in more trouble.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

Jennifer and Jack met at JoJo's Southern Steakhouse to discuss JJ. Even though they had adjusted to being co-parents only, it was still a bit awkward for them to be at a restaurant together – alone. Attempting to make conversation, Jack lightly tapped on the table to ask, "How is Brandon doing?"

Jennifer lifted her eyes. Did Jack really just ask her about Brandon? "Jack, you know that Brandon and I decided to take a break so I could focus on JJ after what happened on the pier in February. Brandon is fine."

Studying his ex-wife's face, Jack wondered out loud, "Are you always going to do that for the kids?" He couldn't help but think about how Melissa did the same to him when she chose to focus on Maggie, Nathan, Melanie, and her new granddaughter.

Knowing what Jack meant, Jen replied, "I don't want to talk about that because we're here to discuss JJ's release." She took a deep breath and continued, "I figured we should go pick him up. I already filled out all the forms agreeing to be responsible for him while he's out. I really hope he doesn't do anything to mess this up."

Jack could really see the anxiety Jen was going through with all of this. "Do you think he will? It's only a twenty-four-hour release."

With her fork in her salad, Jen kept her eyes down as she mentioned, "A lot can happen in twenty-four hours."

Attempting to calm Jen's nerves as well as his own, Jack shared, "He seemed fine when I talked to him earlier today."

Jen suddenly lit up. "You talked to JJ?"

After confirming it, Jack swallowed his own fears as he encouraged, "I think JJ will be fine this weekend, and it will only help in pushing for an early release from his treatment."

"I hope so," Jen breathed.

"You hope so?" Jack questioned as he looked up to the ceiling to show he was pondering over something. "You hope so," he repeated though this time he wasn't asking a question. "You hope so. Let's see. This is probably _the_ biggest – albeit worst – thing we've had to struggle with concerning our big-hearted, intelligent, and heroic son. I mean, there was that time on Melaswen, where he was born, when everything blew up and everyone was forced to escape the island via wreckage."

Getting very serious, Jen leaned into the table. "Jack, that was the scariest moment of my life!" She had no idea why her ex-husband would bring that up, but then she saw the look on his eyes and realized what he was trying to communicate. "And even as a baby, he survived. From day one, that's all he has done."

"Exactly!" Jack exclaimed before adding, "And you have been there every step of the way, Jennifer Rose."

With a confident nod, Jen smiled at Jack knowing she did her best to raise her kids. She felt at ease because in the end everything would work out.


	17. EJ and Samantha DiMera

**Chapter 17: EJ and Samantha DiMera – Wednesday, September 14th, 2016 – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

 **N** ow at the Salem Airport, EJ and Lexie eagerly exited the DiMera jet. Both were happy to be back in Salem and to see their family again. Before EJ could greet his wife, he was tackled by Johnny, Allie, and Sydney. They nearly knocked him over. "Hey kiddos," he exhaled as he looked each one of them over. "Are we all feeling well?"

"Johnny was sick," Sydney sensibly informed her father. "He missed a lot of school."

Johnny ignored his little sister and shared, "I am feeling a lot better. There's something I want to show you when we get home."

EJ smiled at Allie before turning his attention to Johnny. "I can't wait to see what your beautiful mind thought up while I was gone." Leading the three back towards the limo, his face lit up due to the smiles on Sami and Julian's faces.

"It looks like someone got a little sun," Sami commented before pulling EJ into a longing kiss.

Separating from his wife, EJ felt Julian pull on his hair. He gave his youngest a quick kiss on the top of his head before telling Sami, "There was a nice balcony that Lexie and I spent most of our free time." He turned to his sister and watched as she held Theo close; he knew she really missed him.

Placing her hand lovingly on EJ's chest to catch his attention, Sami wondered, "Is everyone coming over for dinner? Will called and said he, Chad, and Cameron are on their way."

After greeting Theo, EJ turned to his sister and asked, "Do you have time to head to the mansion before you go home?"

With her arm around her teenage son, Lexie answered, "Theo and I need to head home to get ready for school and work tomorrow."

With an understanding nod, EJ said, "I'll tell the driver." Returning his attention to his wife, whom he was still very happy to see, he found it difficult to leave her side again even if it was just to inform the driver that Lexie and Theo needed to go home before heading to the mansion. He gave Sami another quick kiss before swiftly telling the driver, who was actually holding the door open so everyone could climb inside.

After, EJ returned and took Julian in his hands. He loved to see his baby boy smile. "Let's go home."

Sami pushed the kids into the limo as she informed her husband, "We need to drop off Allie because Lucas and Sophie want her home for dinner. I hope the trip was a success."

With Julian's cheek next to his, EJ proudly confirmed, "It was."

* * *

 _Friday, February 13th, 2015_

* * *

In Anguillara Sabazia, Italy, Sami had Will on the phone because she wanted to check in with him. "So everything is okay?"

"I promise I am okay," Will told his mom once more.

Sami still didn't let up. "I know how you hate Friday, the 13th, and I hope Chad is doing whatever to keep your mind off of it."

Will allowed some annoyance to sound in his voice as he responded, "Chad has kept my mind off of it, but then you called and are now reminding me what day it is."

Realizing her son was right, Sami apologized.

"Has EJ returned?" Will asked to move on.

Sami denied it, but then EJ arrived. "Actually, he just got here, so I will talk to you later."

"Talk to you later."

After ending the call, Sami put her cell away and carefully moved towards her husband to ask, "So are we having a good Valentine weekend in Rome or not?"

With some caution in his voice, EJ claimed, "Nothing can get in the way of that."

Placing her hand on EJ's chest, Sami surmised, "I get the feeling things did not go well with your meeting with the family heads."

Sighing, EJ shared, "After what happened with Victor and Titan, the family heads want me to name someone to take my place at the table. I told them I had no intention of stepping down, but the other heads were adamant I do so because they do not follow my ethics. They promised they would leave me and our family alone once I named a replacement."

"I don't like that they threatened us," Sami released with some frustration. "I really hope you put them in their place."

EJ moved closer to Sami as he maintained, "You have nothing to worry about because this isn't over yet."

Laying her head against EJ's chest now, Sami curiously questioned, "So… how did you respond?" She couldn't let it go.

Resting his chin on top of Sami's head, EJ disclosed, "I bought us some time to find a replacement."

Huh? EJ's response was not what Sami expected. She pulled her head away from EJ so she could look into his eyes. "Do you really plan on finding a replacement?"

With a sly smile on his face, EJ answered, "Not exactly."

Sighing with relief, Sami conceded, "I thought I lost you for a second." She then verified, "I trust you, EJ, so we can drop business talk for now because I have an early birthday present for you?"

EJ's grin grew bigger as he questioned, "Oh yeah?"

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

After dropping off Lexie, Theo, and Allie, EJ, Sami, Johnny, Julian, and Sydney arrived to the DiMera mansion to find Chad, Will, and Cameron waiting for them inside. Knowing EJ needed to talk to his brothers, Sami took Julian from EJ and pushed Johnny and Sydney towards the stairs. "I will take the kids up to get them ready for dinner."

Johnny turned to face his dad as he walked backwards. "Dad, don't forget I have something to show you later."

"I won't forget," EJ assured with a smile. He watched as Johnny turned around to rush up the stairs with Sami, Sydney, and Julian. He was so happy to be home, but, unfortunately, he had a few things he needed to take care of before he could relax.

EJ entered the living room. Will immediately asked, "How did things go in California?"

"Things went well," EJ answered before turning his focus on Cameron. "May I see the text message?"

Cameron unlocked his phone and pulled up the text message before handing it to EJ. "I met Celeste for a light breakfast after dropping off Theo and Ciara at school. When I received the text, she told me to reach out to Chad since you and Lexie were out of town." Grabbing his shoulder, he stated with uncertainty, "At the time, I decided not to respond to the text though, but I wonder if I should have to see if something else would have come through."

"You did the right thing," EJ told Cameron before looking at the phone screen to read the text message supposedly from Stefano: "' _Mio figlio, life is full of changes and that is definitely true when it comes to family. I may need your assistance very soon_.'" Lifting his eyes from the phone screen, he looked back up to Cameron and asked, "Is it okay if I have Frank look into it so I can see if he can trace the number?"

Cameron shrugged his shoulders wanting to do whatever he could to help. "I don't mind," he responded thinking about his very limited interaction with the man who was his biological father. It was weird hearing EJ read the text aloud. Stefano gave him away because of the color of his skin and now it seemed he wanted his assistance. Cameron wasn't really sure how to feel about anything.

EJ pulled his phone out to send Frank a text. "You could stay for dinner so Frank can look into it by the time you have to leave."

Knowing he couldn't accept EJ's dinner invitation, Cameron replied, "I wish I could, but I promised Lexie I would have dinner with her, Theo, and Brandon tonight."

Chad grabbed the back of his neck suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. He wondered why Lexie didn't just come here so they could all have dinner together. What if something happened in California with EJ? Why did Cameron get an invitation to dinner while he didn't?

Showing no ill feelings towards Cameron, EJ promised, "I will have Frank deliver it back to you when he is done with it then." After Cameron agreed, EJ turned to Will and Chad and questioned, "Are you two staying for dinner?"

Chad took Will's hand to check in with him. Will didn't seem to care and had actually mentioned before that he wanted to hang out with his siblings more. "We are fine with that, but I want to know what you're planning to do if Stefano is coming back into our lives. He could ruin everything." He realized he needed to stay on EJ to figure out if he was hiding anything.

EJ placed the phones in his pockets. "You don't need to worry about that because we have more important things to worry about."

"No," Chad released. He wasn't done with this conversation. "EJ, I have every intention of being a part of this investigation."

Wondering why Chad seemed so hostile towards him, EJ stated, "I am not leaving you out of anything." He knew Chad still struggled with trusting him, but it didn't make sense why they had not made complete progress in trusting each other yet.

Studying the anger in Chad, Cameron wondered, "Should I be worried?"

Will stepped in to respond. "You should keep your guard up because chances are Stefano is contacting you because he needs something from you."

* * *

 _Wednesday, February 25th, 2015_

* * *

It was still early in 2015. Sami and EJ met with Dario, Manny, and Arianna at DiMera Enterprises. "So you have news about Gustavo Toscano?"

Manny gave Sami an uncertain look as he summarized what they already knew, "We haven't heard anything else from him since our run-in with him in Paris, but we believe he is doing something behind the scenes. As we reported before, Gustavo told us he doesn't trust your family – the DiMeras."

EJ placed his hand on his chin before disclosing, "The Toscano family has an empty seat at the table currently because Ernesto died without any known heirs." A part of him wondered if Gustavo was gunning for it, and he knew he needed to fill it because Gustavo was such a wild card. "You are Ernesto's heirs and should take a seat at the table."

Arianna exchanged an uneasy look with Manny. She insistently replied, "Manny and I have mixed feelings about this because we do not want to be involved with anything illegal."

Figuring this would be Arianna and Manny's response, EJ suggested, "Maybe we can work together to take down the other families, and before you begin to wonder if I plan to really put myself in that sort of situation, let me clarify this will be something the families will do to themselves."

Manny and Arianna were still unsure.

Moving to Dario, Sami questioned him. "What do you think? You are both a Toscano and DiMera heir who is involved with a Kiriakis."

Without hesitation, Dario immediately shook his head. "The last thing I want to do is make my life and Sonny's life more complicated. I know Victor will only make things worse for us, and I'm not sure I can handle the pressure." He was content with the direction his life was going and did not want to take any unnecessary detours.

Suddenly, Peter and Kristen entered the semi-crowded room. With a self-indulgent grin, Peter arrogantly announced, "I heard a little rumor, EJ, that you are looking for a replacement to represent the family. I gladly put my name in."

Glaring at Peter like he was crazy, Sami shot off, "We may have made peace in some ways, but we don't trust you to do what is right for this family."

"What about Kristen?" Peter quickly offered. This was definitely an opportunity he desperately wanted to take advantage of in any way he could.

Before Sami could respond, EJ gently grabbed her hand to stop her. He put his attention on Kristen and Peter and diplomatically stated, "I will consider your candidacy and will let you know." He wished he could be rid of the Blake siblings, but he needed to do it without placing more pressure on him and his family.

Turning her hand so she could hold EJ's, Sami recognized her husband had a plan.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

After family dinner and some hang out time upstairs where Johnny showed off more of his new art pieces, Sami walked Will and Chad to the front door. In the foyer, Will asked his mother, "What are you planning to do about Grandpa Roman?" He had a gift from Johnny, Allie, Sydney, and Julian in his hands.

Sami wanted to keep things light during and after dinner since the kids were around. Even though they were alone now, she still wanted to keep things simple and not say much. "I plan to talk to EJ about that later." She pulled Will into a hug hoping to take his worry away. "Goodnight. I can't wait to start the weekend festivities and see all of my plans come to fruition." She gave Chad a hug next.

"Goodnight."

Sami watched as Chad and Will left. She could not help but note how extra watchful Chad was over Will. Closing the door behind them, she couldn't help feeling at peace knowing that Will was in good hands.

EJ walked down the stairs soon after. "Julian is out for the count, and Johnny and Sydney are getting ready for bed now," he proudly announced.

Sami kissed EJ as soon as he was at the foot of the stairs. "You are such a good father."

Looking around, EJ asked, "Did Will and Chad already leave?" He hoped to clear the air with the both of them about earlier.

Sami nodded her head claiming, "They had some things to get done before tomorrow. Did you discuss Stefano and what you're going to do about him?"

EJ sighed and shared, "Frank is on his way in to give me an update actually."

Just in time, Frank entered from the front door. "I managed to get the information you need from Cameron's phone. I traced the text back to Barcelona, Spain, so I sent a team to see if they could find out if Stefano is in the area."

EJ couldn't believe he was close to finding his father again. "Thanks Frank for the quick work. Please send someone to return Cameron's phone."

Frank gave EJ a nod. "I will be in the guesthouse if you need me."

With Frank gone, Sami took EJ's hand grabbing his attention. "We can't allow Stefano to destroy what we're trying to build and accomplish."

"I know," EJ affirmed. "I know Stefano has to be stopped."

Sami's thoughts moved to her own father. "EJ, there's something we need to discuss…" Before she could say more, Jade suddenly rushed inside.

Noting the time, EJ told his sister, "You missed dinner."

Catching her breath, Jade apologized before explaining, "I was troubled by a senior group project today, but I am glad you are home so I may discuss my business concept with you."

Another one of Jade's _concepts_. Sami figured EJ didn't have time for this, so she stepped in. "Are you hungry, Jade? We left a plate for you in the kitchen when you didn't arrive for dinner or answer our calls or texts." She knew EJ questioned Jade's reason for being out late because she didn't buy it either.

Dismissing Sami because of the way her mother, Susan, talked about her, Jade claimed, "I'm fine," before returning her focus on EJ. She was tempted to pull on his arm. "I believe we must invest in concocting a source where others can receive their news. I could be responsible with creating videos and other lively and witty items that could capitalize this new venture."

Wanting to let his sister down gently, EJ replied, "This all sounds interesting, but can we discuss this more tomorrow?" He also decided to let go of his suspicions on Jade's whereabouts before she arrived because he did not want to upset her in anyway. He really wanted to take it easy the rest of the night.

Annoyed, Jade resentfully agreed. "Fine. I shall go to bed."

As Jade headed up the stairs, EJ turned to Sami and sighed.

* * *

 _Thursday, March 12th, 2015_

* * *

In Neive, Italy, EJ helped Sami out of their luxury rental as she requested, "Remind me who we are meeting again."

EJ turned to the manor before him and answered, "We are meeting with father's youngest brother's – excluding John – daughter, Zita, as well as Maddalena's youngest son, Nazario. Even though they are my cousins, they are still much older than me." He reflected on how a lot of family members did not attend Stefano's bogus funeral and wondered if Maddalena played a role in making sure they were not there.

When EJ and Sami entered the manor, they were greeted by servants and taken into a nicely decorated room. A fire was going to keep the room warmer. Nazario and Zita entered soon after. "Elvis and Samantha. Welcome."

Zita motioned for the servants to serve EJ and Sami some tea. "Why have you called on us?"

EJ gladly took the cup of tea presented to him. He took a quick sip before answering, "I am here because I want to know what you two want for the family."

Deciding to answer first, Zita shared, "I want to elevate the family. Nazario and I want power."

EJ showed he heard them and brought up, "The families want me to find a replacement to sit at the table because they do not believe in my vision for the future. I am considering you two as my replacement."

Showing he was extremely disappointed and disapproved of what the families were asking of EJ, Nazario stated, "Le famiglie are wrong for wanting you to step down because as far as Zita and I are concerned, you are still the head of the DiMera family."

Zita firmly added, "If you want one of us to be your replacement, we will take the position, but we will only do so in service of you."

"You are very loyal," Sami duly noted. She wanted to be sure she did not let her guard down.

With a heavy nod, Zita affirmed, "We are very loyal to family."

Needing more information from his extended family members, EJ mentioned, "And what are your thoughts on my Zia Maddalena's vision for the family?"

Since Maddalena was his mother, Nazario decided to take on EJ's question. "We share her vision."

Unhappy with the short answer, EJ pushed, "What of her entire vision? She wasn't too fond of my wife, Samantha, or other additions to the family."

"We have no problem with Samantha," Zita quickly stated. "We have watched her and believe her to be a worthy wife to the head of our family."

Trying not to let the compliments get to her, Sami remembered how Azzura got into her head and asked, "Have either of you had contact with Maddalena?"

Nazario denied it. He scratched the back of his neck with one of his fingers as he claimed, "Zita and I wonder if she is even still alive."

"And Gustavo?"

Shifting in his seat, Nazario continued to scratch the back of his neck as he turned toward EJ. "I have not seen my padre since his death. I have not heard his voice since either. I have heard rumors he is alive, but I have no attachment to him since I was so young when my madre received word from your padre that he was deceased."

Placing her tea-cup down, Zita had questions of her own. "Will le famiglie accept the both of us as your replacement or must you choose only one of us?" There was something in the way Nazario was talking that made her feel uncomfortable.

"Actually," EJ cleared his throat. "I want you, Zita, to take my place at the table, and Nazario, I want you to step into the Toscano empty chair."

"I accept," Zita quickly declared.

"I as well," Nazario stated. "We promise to report to you in these roles."

EJ allowed his face to show he was happy to hear this. Internally, a part of him wondered if this was too easy. The fact that Nazario had not taken it upon himself to claim the Toscano seat prior to this visit was very suspicious to EJ. Taking his wife's hand, both smiled at each other as they realized they would have to keep a close watch on Zita and Nazario to make sure they really could be trusted.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

In the master bedroom at the DiMera mansion, Sami's phone chimed. She received a text from her twin brother that stated: "Grandma is fine. She's resting for the night, and we're heading home now."

Sami quickly replied to Eric: "I promise I will tell you more about dad when I get the chance. Please don't tell anyone what I already told you yet. Goodnight."

EJ entered the room as Sami put away her cell phone and announced, "I have my men looking into Roman's whereabouts."

Sami gave EJ a kiss and thanked him. "I hope he's okay."

Noting Sami was already dressed for bed, EJ smiled because he couldn't wait to sleep next to his wife once again. "I guess it's time for bed…" He began to unbutton his shirt.

Sami moved quickly and began to help EJ undress as she shared, "I'm not tired."

"Neither am I."

Helping EJ take off his shirt, Sami threw it across the room before he pulled her close to him. "You have no idea how much I've missed you – your touch – your love." She allowed her fingers to glide down his muscular arms to grab his hands. She brought them up to rest on her shoulders.

EJ passionately leaned into his wife and kissed her until he needed to stop for air. After Sami unbuttoned his slacks, he removed the straps of her pink nightie from her shoulders allowing it to fall to the ground. Lifting her up, he carried Sami to their bed and carefully laid her on it. "I love you, Samantha."

Watching her husband pull off the rest of his clothes, Sami bit her lip and said, "I'm ready to move forward."

Sami's words reminded EJ of their conversation before the first time they made love. Even now, he knew he didn't want to mess this up. He didn't want to lose what he had now. "We are in this together still, Samantha." He began to climb on top of her without touching her as he continued to tenderly speak, "Open… Vulnerable… Honest… Together…"

With every word that escaped her husband's gorgeous lips, Sami craved EJ's touch more and more. She grabbed EJ's back and pulled him on top of her and began to kiss him once more.

As Sami ran her hands down EJ's sun-kissed back, he moved down to her neck. His lips teased every inch of her skin until they arrived just above her breasts. He made sure to look into her eyes one last time before submerging his sly smirk into one of his favorite parts of his wife's body.

Sami moaned. She ran her hands through EJ's smoky-colored hair before pulling him back into a kiss. She felt warm again. The house was full of joy once more.

EJ got into a rhythm as his body leaned into Sami's more and more. With every audible sound that escaped her lips, the harder he tried to give her just a little bit more. He couldn't contain the pleasure he felt either as he began to grunt in unison of every push.

"EJ…" Sami softly exhaled. Her right hand rested on the back of his head as she looked deeply into his soul. Completely connected, they experienced enormous revelry before starting to kiss once again. Needing to take a breath, Sami separated from EJ for a moment but still kept her eyes on the love of her life. "I love you, EJ."

* * *

 _Friday, March 13th, 2015_

* * *

EJ walked into the hotel room in Italy, picked up Sami, and spun her around. "The family heads have accepted my appointments!" After putting his wife down, he added, "Victor is still annoyed, but everything is in place. It's time to move into the next phase of our plan. I'm going to need Lexie's help."

Though she was pleased things played out how they hoped, Sami wanted to make sure EJ did not let his guard down. "I'm excited things are going in the right direction, but we have to be careful, EJ. We can't relax just yet because there is still so much that could go wrong."

EJ kissed the top of Sami's head to show he was on the same page. "Even though I think we can celebrate, I don't think we can let our guard down. I will have to keep tabs on Victor, Nazario, and Zita to make sure nothing goes wrong. Peter and Kristen are still in the picture as well, and I know eventually that will want more or get bored. It's who they are."

Rubbing EJ's chest with her hands, Sami stated, "It's who we are. We have to keep ourselves from getting too caught up in winning or taking these bastards down even if it's enjoyable fun. We have to stay smart about all of this. We have to do this together."

"That's our plan for everything we do in life," EJ promised before pulling Sami close once more. "We will have our eyes open for every possibility and if someone manages to surprise us, we will find a solution together."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

The next day, everyone rushed around the DiMera mansion. Coming down the stairs and entering the main room, Jade managed to stop her brother to remind him, "We still need to talk."

EJ grabbed his things from his desk and said, "I promise we will talk after you get home from school." When Johnny and Sydney entered the room with their school bags, he walked over to give them a hug. "Have a good day at school."

Jade made sure she had her keys and approached her nephew and niece. "Let's leave squirts."

EJ walked Jade, Johnny, and Sydney out the door. "See you later…"

Sami entered the foyer as Mary walked down with Julian in her arms. "Julian wanted to say goodbye," Mary shared.

Realizing they needed to slow down and focus on what was most important, EJ took Julian in his arms and lifted him up to spin him around. Sami watched in great admiration as Julian responded to what his father was doing in pure glee. After EJ gave Julian a kiss, Sami took her youngest in her arms to do the same. Handing Julian back to Mary, they said their goodbyes before heading out to their meeting at DiMera Enterprises.

After a moment, Frank entered from the side door and found Mary with Julian. He had a package in his hands. "Is EJ still here?"

"They just left," Mary told Frank as she eyed his left leg. "They have an emergency meeting with Peter and Kristen."

Looking the package over in his hand, Frank shared, "This came in. It's addressed to Chad and Will though."

Mary moved closer to look at the package. "I wonder who it is from."

Looking at it closer, Frank realized, "It doesn't have a return address. I should probably look into this." He hoped it wasn't something dangerous.


	18. Peter Blake

**Chapter 18: Peter Blake – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

 **G** rabbing his nearly empty glass, Peter told his wife, "Today is the day we make our next step." They were sitting at the breakfast table in the Blake mansion.

Delphi restlessly placed her fork on the circular table. "It's about time because things have been stagnant for too long. I need a little excitement in my life again." Looking down at her motorized wheelchair, she tried to stay positive. "Even though I lost the use of my legs, I plan to start traveling again for business. I am tired of being cooped up in this mansion."

As Peter took Delphi's hand, Kristen entered the room. "Are you ready, Peter?"

Noting his sister's rushed demeanor, Peter leaned back in his chair. "You're not eating breakfast?"

"I'm not hungry," Kristen replied. Even though she had anticipated this day for some time, she felt the same darkness from before she met with Brady yesterday "I just want to get to this meeting on time. We'll be late if we don't leave soon."

Peter let go of Delphi's hand and replied, "I don't care if we're late. EJ and Sami can wait."

Grabbing her cell phone, Delphi now studied her sister-in-law. "Are you up to this meeting? I don't want you to suddenly get a guilty conscience again."

Rolling her eyes, Kristen claimed, "I'm not backing down this time. We have put too much work in our new plan." Since everything went down with Titan and Brady, things were tense between her and her sister-in-law and they weren't close anymore. At this point, she was now accustomed to Delphi's brand of hate though it could be annoying at times.

After putting her cell in her pocket, Delphi hurriedly rolled out from under the table as she commented, "It's a good thing Brady isn't involved this time."

Suddenly standing, Peter wiped his face before checking his pockets to make sure he had everything he needed. "Let's go then."

* * *

 _Saturday, April 3rd, 2015_

* * *

In bed for the night, Delphi turned her head to look at her husband. Through a sigh of defeat, she questioned, "Is this our life now – waiting for a bone from EJ to rise to power?" Noting Peter wouldn't look at her, she continued with her questions. "What happened to your ambition and drive?" Still nothing. This silence and contentedness from Peter was really starting to get to her, so she pushed his buttons even more to get something – anything – from him. "We had plans to take over Salem, but now we are jokes. Is this connected to Jennifer Horton?"

Peter finally scoffed at what his wife said. Continuing to look up at the high ceiling of their bedroom, he reluctantly shared, "I have been mulling over something, but I have put it off purposely because it requires you to do something you probably don't want to do… I definitely don't want you to do it."

Delphi had turned away from Peter, but now she shifted her body as best she could to give her full attention to him. "What is it?"

"It involves your family," Peter painfully confessed.

Using her arms, Delphi now pulled herself up. She turned on the bedside lamp next to her and stared at him for a moment to make sure she heard him correctly. "I don't have to remind you that I walked out on my family for you years ago, right? I haven't talked to them since. They haven't even met Ezra."

Peter sat up as well to rationalize why he would suggest such a thing. "Your family has a lot of money. They are very influential. I hate the idea, too, but we can't piggyback on the DiMera name without Stefano and Maddalena anymore. EJ isn't really on our side. We can use your family's connections to get people to notice us – to see us in a different light." Noting his wife continued to show she was greatly hesitant on this, he added, "I want to learn more about my biological father as well as the wealth Stefano wanted and took claim in. We won't lean completely on your family, but we have to start somewhere and we need to buy ourselves some time."

Skeptical, Delphi put her hand over her forehead. "Peter, I can't use the Lee family connections without reaching out to them first. I know this will make it harder for us because they hate you, and now I'm in a wheelchair."

Carefully pulling on his wife's arm so he could take hold of her hand, Peter gave her a look to assure her he understood her thoughts and feelings and said, "I know the risks, and I understand you hate your position now, but I know you are a strong woman who can make anything happen. You will win your parents and family over again. You can do this."

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, Peter managed to speak to Delphi's determination and drive. A smile crept on her face as she returned her gaze to her husband. "This could be fun and challenging."

"That's my girl…" Peter lifted Delphi's hand and kissed it.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

"Where are they?"

Peter noted his sister could not stop nervously tapping on the conference table. They were waiting for EJ and Sami in one of the conference rooms at DiMera Enterprises. "They will be here soon. They are just making us wait to show their dominance over us. Don't worry. That will be over soon enough."

Kristen noticed her own nervous tic and stopped. She did not understand why she was so anxious about this meeting. Maybe it had to do with the fact that she felt like Peter was keeping her in the dark about some things after what happened with Titan. She knew he didn't trust her completely anymore. The truth was, she didn't fully trust him either.

Another possibility entered Kristen's mind though. Maybe she was anxious because she had not heard from Alessandro since leaving a voicemail the day before. She turned to Peter and wondered if now was the time to ask him about Alessandro. Eventually, she realized it was neither the proper time nor place.

EJ and Sami finally entered the conference room. They silently and slowly poured themselves cups of coffee before eventually sitting across from the Blake siblings. With some annoyance in his tone, EJ stated, "I have other meetings I have scheduled for the day, so I hope this emergency meeting doesn't take too long."

Knowing the game EJ and Sami were playing, Peter smirked at the two sitting across from him. Soon they could all stop pretending with the peaceful and inclusive postures they held for so long. "Kristen and I will keep this short and to the point then."

"Great because I have a couple meetings for my wedding magazine to make up as well," Sami said through a forced smile.

Kristen rolled her eyes as Peter proudly shared, "My sister and I cleared out our offices last night."

Though he was in high alert mode now, EJ only responded physically by raising his eyes at Peter and Kristen. "Why?"

Getting more comfortable in her chair, Kristen announced, "Peter and I are starting our own business – Blake, Inc. We are now your newest competitors." Noting the smugness on Sami and EJ had turned into shock and surprise, Kristen added, "We wanted to tell you this in person so it wouldn't add more fuel to the fire. The truth is we do not work well together even though we hoped we could make it work."

Sami looked to EJ to see what he would say about this. Thousands of questions ran through her mind. "How long have you known? Have you talked to anyone here?"

EJ placed his hand on Sami's leg to calm her. He firmly looked at Peter and Kristen and said, "Leave."

Peter turned to his sister. Both figured it would be best to get out of there to keep some sort of peace. Returning his attention to EJ and Sami, he stated, "My sister and I would like to thank you two and the family for the opportunity you provided." They headed out of the room. Sami and EJ did not say another word.

When they were in the elevator, Peter looked to Kristen and said, "We need to get out in front of this as soon as possible." He thought about how he tried to talk to Jen yesterday.

* * *

 _Saturday, April 18th, 2015_

* * *

After flying into New York, Peter, Delphi, and Ezra arrived to Delphi's parents' luxury home in time for lunch on the patio in the enormous backyard. Peter remained quiet for most of the lunch because he knew his in-laws did not care for him. Fortunately, they didn't even ask him questions or accuse him of destroying their daughter's life – at least not yet.

Delphi watched as her parents doted on Ezra – the only one who was truly innocent in all of this. The smile on his face meant the world to her and made her believe she had made the right decision in going forward with Peter's plan. Putting a smile on her face, she shared, "Ezra is currently working with the mayor in Salem. He writes her speeches and helps with her image in the media."

"That's very interesting," Mrs. Lee claimed as she turned to her husband to agree.

Mr. Lee was intrigued as well. "So you're involved in politics just like me. I'm happy to have a grandson who can continue the family legacy. Interested in doing something on a more national level?"

Ezra really enjoyed getting to know his grandparents. His mother kept him in the dark about them until recently. A part of him wondered what changed, but he decided not to question it now. "I am not sure," he truthfully admitted. "I like where I am now because I can see the changes that are happening on a local setting."

With a nod, Mr. Lee turned to his daughter. It was hard to see her in a wheelchair, and it was obvious by the awkward looks he couldn't hide from her. "So why did you decide to come back now? Is everything okay?"

This was it. The grilling stage. Delphi knew she had to take the lead because her parents wouldn't listen to Peter. She was a bit surprised they hadn't yelled at him or tried to kick him out yet. "Everything is fine. Peter and I realized that we weren't being fair to our son by continuing this cut off between all of us. He wasn't even in the picture when it happened, and he needs to know all the family he has. We all need to move on towards forgiveness and healing."

Mrs. Lee smiled at Ezra as she replied, "I agree. It has been too long and family should be there for each other. Your siblings wanted to be here, but your father and I thought it would be best if we met with you first so you didn't feel crowded."

"Thank you," Delphi released. She was trying to read her parents because that same coldness she grew up with was still there. Ezra probably couldn't see it, but she could. "So what are your conditions?"

Mr. Lee began to laugh at his daughter's question. He gave Ezra a wink before calling his daughter out. "Oh, Delphine. You were always the one to look at every angle. We can talk more about that later, but for now let's enjoy the rest of our lunch." Turning to Peter, he continued to grin. "You are staying here for a few days, correct?"

Peter slightly bowed to Delphi's father. "Of course. We're family."

Ezra exhaled and relaxed. He felt the tension there for a moment but it seemed to die down somewhat. Taking in the interesting dynamics between his family, he wondered if things would change once he met his mother's siblings the next day. Abby suddenly entered his mind; her birthday was tomorrow. Shaking his head mentally, Ezra told himself he needed to stop doing that.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After leaving DiMera Enterprises, Peter headed for _The Salem Spectator_ alone. Walking in, he headed for Jen's office, but his necessary trek was interrupted by his former love's daughter. "Abby…"

Abby placed her hands on her broad hips. "What are you doing here again?" She was clearly not amused to see him.

"I…"

"I really didn't want you to answer that," Abby cut Peter off. "I need you to stay away from my mom."

Putting his hands up, Peter briskly walked around Abby and said, "I promise it is purely business." He turned around and continued his trek only to be stopped by someone else.

Harold Wentworth stood firmly in front of Peter so he couldn't go into Jen's office. "She's busy at the moment. You'll need to make an appointment."

Purposely relaxing his hand on the wall very close to Harold, Peter grinned in a specific way as he asked, "How is Jere doing?"

Harold eyed Peter to show he was not amused. He knew Peter was purposely flirting with him to get under his skin. "Mom always told me to be careful of the pretty ones."

"So you think I'm pretty?" Peter questioned clearly amused.

With a smirk, Harold stated, "Did I say pretty? I meant, petty…"

Leaning in, Peter looked Harold up and down as he replied, "We both know what you really meant. What would Jere say to you hitting on another married man?"

Harold scoffed at Peter. "I'm glad you remember you are married. With all these random visits to see Jen, one would suspect you were single. As I mentioned before, Jen is busy, so you'll have to call and make an appointment."

Unfortunately for Harold, Jennifer walked out of her office. She noticed Peter was rather close to her friend and watched as he shifted closer to her. Shaking her head, she groaned, "I thought I told you to come back next month."

Peter pushed, "You should talk to me now because I will continually bug you. I'm trying to offer you a scoop here. It's about a business Kristen and I are starting together."

Annoyed, Jen chimed, "You should have just sent your sister then."

With his left arm over his chest and his right hand on his chin, Peter swayed as he questioned, "Why are you receptive to Kristen and not me?"

Noting Peter had caught the attention of a few of her employees, Jennifer knew she needed to take control of the situation. "I have a few minutes to talk. That's it." She led Peter into her office as she remembered what happened with Titan and Victor when she first took over the paper.

"I can do a lot in a few minutes," Peter replied. He made sure to wink at Harold on his way inside Jen's office.

* * *

 _Thursday, October 23rd, 2015_

* * *

Delphi wheeled herself into the study where Peter was. "I just mailed your birthday gift to Johnny. I also mailed the official paperwork to change my last name from Blakelee to Blake-Lee. I will call Ezra to do the same."

Peter turned to his wife and, with his interest clearly piqued, asked, "Does that mean?"

With a nod, Delphi loftily shared, "I heard from my parents. They have accepted me into the family fold once more. They have also accepted you because of Ezra. I knew he would do the trick."

Glad to hear things were going in their favor, Peter said, "It's good Ezra hasn't caught on that we used him and that we are still using him."

Shaking her head, Delphi argued, "We aren't using Ezra. We are encouraging him to chase his dreams."

"Dreams we created for him," Peter countered when his phone began to ring. He hesitantly smiled because it was Alessandro. He hoped it was good news.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

When Peter had finished giving Jen the exclusive on Blake, Inc., he headed for the mayor's office to talk to his mother. Since she was busy, he decided to check in with his son while he waited. "Things still going well?"

Suspicious, Ezra eyed his father wondering what business he had with Mayor White. He wasn't sure what to make of his attempt at having a casual conversation with him, but he allowed it. "Yeah. Mom's parents want me to come out to New York soon for another visit."

"You should definitely go," Peter encouraged Ezra noting that his answer seemed to impact his son in some way. There was a hint that Ezra wanted something from his father, but Peter didn't exactly know what that could be.

Unable to keep his suspicions at bay, Ezra asked, "What are you up to? I know something is going on because mom has been acting weird."

Fortunately for Peter, Mayor White opened her door to show she was now available. "It's only good things," he told his son before heading into the office.

After Peter closed the door, Rachel looked to her son and asked, "Why are you here?"

Peter took a seat and shared, "I will need a favor from you soon."

Not keen on doing favors for anyone, Rachel declared, "I won't let your needs come before Salem's."

Peter didn't take her seriously though. Instead, he reminded her, "It was Maddalena who helped you get in this position after EJ decided to step down as mayor. The DiMeras put you here. Kristen and I have cut ties with the DiMeras. Can you say the same?"

Not amused, Rachel warned, "Do not come at me with threats. I will not do anything illegal for you."

Taking a step back, Peter knew he needed to backtrack a bit. "It's nothing illegal. I don't want to put you in a bad place. Can you please just hear me out for a moment?"

Rachel studied her son as she debated how to answer.

Outside of the office, Charles Woods, the former D.A., entered and told Ezra, "I need to talk to the mayor."

Ezra recognized Charles recalling his connection to Chad, but he did not bring it up. "She's in a meeting at the moment. I'll see if she has time when she is done."

Charles took a seat before asking Ezra, "Do you enjoy working for the mayor?" He had a reason for asking this question because he had heard a lot about how horrible of a mayor Rachel was.

Not thinking anything of it, Ezra answered, "I enjoy the work more than I thought I would."

Peter and Rachel exited her office and said their goodbyes without the tension between them earlier. Charles couldn't help but notice the connection between them. He wondered if there was something there.

"Thanks for meeting with me again," Peter said politely before turning to Ezra. "Bye son. We should have dinner soon."

Charles made note of the family connection between Peter and Ezra before standing up to announce his presence to Rachel. "Mayor White, I need a moment to talk to you."

Looking at her white watch, Rachel replied, "I am sorry, but I do not have time as I have another appointment out of the office." She turned to Ezra and requested, "Please hold the fort. I will be back."

Charles watched as Rachel left. Ezra noted it and asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Keeping his focus on the exit the mayor used, Charles answered, "Not right now."

* * *

 _Friday, November 6th, 2015_

* * *

In Greece, Peter and Delphi arrived to meet with the Ptolemy family head to discuss Peter joining the table. With great confidence and conviction, Peter stated, "I promise I will enrich the other families with our connection. Yes, the Blake name is small compared to the other families involved, but we played a part in the success of the DiMera family. The DiMeras built their current empire on my father's wealth since Stefano had my parents killed so he could adopt me and my sister."

"And what exactly is this new connection?" Mr. Ptolemy questioned.

Peter looked to his wife and said, "My wife's family, the Lee family is connected deeply into American politics and business."

Rubbing his chin with his left hand, Mr. Ptolemy remarked, "I have heard a lot about the Lee family from Victor Kiriakis."

Peter was shocked by this new development but chose not to voice his concerns at the moment. He hoped his wife would follow suit. The last thing he wanted to do was reopen the issues he caused with Victor the year before. "Tell me. What do I need to do to create this new seat?"

Pacing in a circular motion, Mr. Ptolemy took a moment to process how to best use this opportunity to help him and his family. When he came to a decision, he eyed Peter and said, "You will need to be patient because we need to do this correctly. Do you understand?" Peter confirmed with a nod, so Mr. Ptolemy continued, "I am interested in branching out to the United States eventually, and if you scratch my family's back, I will return the favor."

Happy to hear this, Peter rubbed his chin now. "I'm sure we can come up with a plan that will benefit the both of us."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Walking through Horton Town Square, Peter came across Kristen consoling Jade. He noted EJ's sister was down and asked, "Something happen?"

Jade shook her head in disappointment. She felt a closeness with Peter and Kristen, but she knew she needed to be careful around them. Unfortunately, she was super annoyed with her brother and her age got the better of her at times. "EJ is too engrossed with his life to set aside time for me once again. It all relates Sami, Sami, Sami."

Under her breath, Kristen commented, "You should try to have a conversation with her mother."

Seeing an opportunity, Peter decided to seize it. "That's unfortunate, but I have some good news for you."

"What is it?" Jade asked. Her face lit up.

Kristen wanted to know the same. "Yeah, what is it?"

"I may have a job for you," Peter announced. "An internship."


	19. Theodore Carver

**Chapter 19: Theodore Carver – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

 _*Drip*_ Theo was in the middle of brushing his teeth when he heard the sound. He eyed the bathroom sink and realized he did not turn the cold water off completely. Leaving his toothbrush in the side of his mouth, he grabbed the right handle and pushed it until it no longer budged. With no more water drops escaping the faucet, he could continue brushing his teeth now.

Theo looked into the rustic natural oval framed mirror and reflected on his life. Things were going quite well; he hadn't had an episode in some time. He was happy to have a normal life once again.

Thinking back to the night before, Theo remembered catching his grandmother, Celeste, talking to his Uncle Cameron after dinner. They were discussing something they supposedly didn't want him to hear. Glancing down to the watch next to the sink, he checked the time and realized he got lost in his thoughts. He needed to hurry.

After gargling some minty mouthwash and spitting it out, Theo washed his hands and face before drying himself with a towel. Placing the green hand towel on the hook next to the sink, he glanced at his reflection one last time before grabbing the watch to head downstairs.

Lexie was frantically looking through her overstuffed purse when Theo approached her. Looking up, she asked, "Are you ready to go?"

Theo adjusted his father's watch on his wrist and answered, "I am when you are."

Continuing to rummage through her purse, Lexie apologetically stated, "I'm looking for something for grandma."

"Is Grandma coming for dinner tonight?"

"I think so," Lexie answered. "Did you see her much while I was out-of-town with your uncle?" She noticed her mother and son stayed to themselves the night before.

Theo went over to make sure he had everything in his bag for school. "I didn't see much of her because Cameron and Brandon took me out a lot, and I also hung out some with Ciara."

Moving beyond the idea that Theo was still avoiding Celeste, Lexie stopped what she was doing so she could give her son a smile. "Ciara is your _best_ friend, right?"

Noting his mother was giving him a weird look, Theo tried not to give her too much. "Yes," he simply confirmed.

Lexie could see Theo didn't want to go further with the conversation, so she asked, "Is Ciara ready to be picked up for school?"

"I'll text her," Theo decided pulling out his phone. His eyes went straight to his cell because he could hardly look at his mom at this point.

Theo was really trying hard not to blush. Pulling her keys out of her purse, Lexie sighed and said, "I'll start the car."

Lifting his head, Theo attempted to play off the awkwardness of what happened between him and his mother. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No," Lexie hopelessly answered. "I'll have to make another key for grandma since I can't find my spare."

Confused, Theo scratched the side of his head. "I thought grandma already had a key to the house."

Lexie headed for the front door and turned around to reply. "She lost it. I'll be back inside…" She stopped when Theo began to send a text to Ciara because she noted what her son had on his wrist. "Is that your father's old watch?"

Theo pushed send on his text, looked up, and smiled. "Yeah. I found it earlier and decided to wear it. I've been missing dad a lot more recently."

Reflecting on how the anniversary of Abe's death was the month before, Lexie understood why Theo was thinking about his dad more. With a smile, she tried not to let her eyes tear up as she shared, "It suits you." She turned around and walked out.

Theo studied Abe's watch and smiled. He felt a comfort in being able to wear it again. It felt like he was connecting with Abe once more.

* * *

 _Thursday, February 27th, 2014_

* * *

Sitting with Ciara in the living room of his home, Theo eyed the kitchen door before leaning into his friend to whisper, "My mom is planning to take me to a specialist because she thinks therapy isn't working for me."

Ciara gave Theo a knowing look because she knew why. "Well, you have remained silent to everyone except me. Even some of the kids at school are starting to think you're weirder."

Giving Ciara an uneasy look, Theo questioned, "Do you think I'm weird?"

With a clever grin, Ciara quickly said, "Why do you think we're friends?"

Theo couldn't help but smile at Ciara's response. He got serious again though as he explained, "I really want to shut out this gift I have, and I need to figure out how." Shaking his head, he continued, "I need my grandma to wake up because she may be able to help me. I know she will be okay, but I wish she would wake up already."

Remembering what Theo told her about Celeste at Billie and Frankie's wedding, Ciara asked, "Do you realize that if you get rid of your gift you won't know when people are going to be okay?"

Sighing, Theo said, "I wish that was all I could do, but this gift is a curse because I know when bad things are going to happen. It sucks that there's no way I can stop them from happening."

Ciara raised her eyebrow as she pondered, "Maybe that's connected to the fact that you're not talking to anyone."

"You know what I mean," Theo contended. "I wasn't able to stop what happened in Italy. You and my grandma almost died, and now my nonno is missing." Feeling helpless and annoyed, Theo repeated, "Now my mom wants to take me to see a specialist."

Not letting Theo off the hook of taking responsibility, Ciara reiterated, "That's because your mom and everyone else thinks your silence is due to your autism – which may have been a misdiagnosis because of your gift." Internally, she thought about how much her friend had changed since what happened in Urbino. He was more expressive – at least towards her.

"I'd rather be autistic because at least I would still be normal," Theo professed not realizing that Lexie and Cameron had entered from the kitchen.

Having heard her son speak, Lexie rushed over and said, "What did you just say, Theo?"

Ciara quickly jumped off the couch and stood in front of Theo to cover for her friend. " _I_ said…"

Theo stood up as well and grabbed Ciara's arm to make her stop. "It's okay. You're right, Ciara. I need to stop playing mute." Giving his mother his attention, he declared, "I don't need to see a specialist. I'm ready to start talking again."

With a warm expression on her face, Lexie traded a look with Cameron and said, "I'm happy to hear that."

Noting Cameron by the kitchen door, Theo curiously asked, "What are you doing here?" He sensed a small emptiness from his uncle but didn't know what it meant.

Cameron placed his hands in his pockets and pleasantly stated, "I have good news."

"Your uncle just told me that grandma is showing signs of waking up," Lexie cheerfully announced.

The news brought a smile to Theo's face.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After being dropped off at Salem High by Lexie, Ciara purposely bumped into Theo, who was quiet for most of the ride. "Your mom was being kind of weird on the way… what was her deal?"

Theo knew the reason for his mother's strange behavior, but he decided not to tell Ciara. That would be too awkward. Instead, he simply shrugged his shoulders as they headed into the school building.

Spotting Theo and Ciara, Jade walked by them and waved. "Hey guys."

Ciara and Theo waved back and continued their trek to their lockers. "Jade is a senior, right? I was thinking we could use her in our plan to take over high school."

Giving Ciara a look, Theo questioned, "Are you still set on your plan?"

Unashamed, Ciara reminded Theo, "We owned Junior High before we even went there. I have a reputation to uphold, and I can't let that go to waste. My battle scar from Urbino doesn't hold the same power over people like it used to."

Theo's eyes apprehensively widened. "I really hope you don't plan to purposely hurt yourself."

Ciara playfully pretended to think over the idea of hurting herself before saying, "You know me better than that, but are you letting me down now after we've done everything together?"

Relieved, Theo chuckled before answering, "I'm not, and I never will."

Arriving to their locker, Ciara and Theo found some of their friends nearby. "Your Queen and King have arrived. Bow down…" Ciara slightly joked.

While the other friends either scoffed or playfully bowed down to Ciara, Theo reflected over the fact that Ciara called herself the queen and referred to him as the king. He swallowed hard as he tried his best not to read too much into that.

* * *

 _Wednesday, March 5th, 2014_

* * *

Almost a week after Cameron shared the news about Celeste, Theo and Lexie arrived to the hospital where Cameron was waiting for them. "Have you seen mom yet?" Lexie asked her brother.

Confirming it with a nod, Cameron replied, "I have. She wasn't really speaking though. She is slowly coming back and it may take some time before she completely adjusts to being conscious again." It was such a surreal experience for Cameron to have Celeste looking at him again since discovering she was his biological mother. He expected the uncomfortable awkwardness to continue for some time – even after their first conversation since uncovering the truth.

Lexie turned to Theo and asked, "Are you really okay with seeing grandma like this?"

Theo didn't hesitate to answer. "I need to see her. I want to talk to her alone though."

Wanting to prepare his nephew, Cameron cautioned, "She may not say much when you see her."

EJ walked out of a hall with Nathan. Greeting his sister with a kiss on the cheek, he turned to Theo and gave him a pat on the back. "Nathan just told me the news. I know all of you must be happy."

"We are," Lexie verified. There was so much she wanted to say to her mother.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Nathan disclosed, "Celeste is more aware now and is up for visitors."

Placing her hand on Theo's back, Lexie decided, "We'll go talk to her then."

After Lexie and Theo walked off, EJ turned to Cameron and said, "Nathan and I were talking about taking a hiking trip when Spring hits. You in?"

Cameron nodded his head. "I'd like to go for sure. Just give me the details so I can make sure I ask for the time off."

"Good," EJ released. "I will talk to Chad, Will, Dario, Sonny, and Eric to see if they're interested as well."

Meanwhile, Theo and Lexie entered Celeste's hospital room. Celeste was so happy to see them. As she hugged them, she shared, "Dr. Horton informed me… of how long I was in a coma."

Staying close to her mother, Lexie thought about how Nathan decided to hold off on giving Celeste too many details because he figured it would be best if she filled her in on what happened. "Mom, do you remember anything from your experience?" she asked first.

Celeste rubbed her head and kept her eyes forward as she tried to concentrate. "I… I don't remember anything. It is blurry." She turned to her daughter and grandson and asked, "How are you?"

Making sure Theo could stand closer to Celeste, Lexie moved to the rear and said, "We've been worried about you, so we are glad to see you with your eyes open." She decided to hold off on telling her mom what happened while Theo was around.

"I'm happy, too," Theo cut in as he took Celeste's hand. He was able to sooth her by the simple gesture and he sensed she felt relaxed. This was his in. "I want to talk to you alone."

Noting how pushy Theo was about this, Lexie asked, "What do you want to say to grandma alone? You can do so later. We have plenty of time."

Not backing down, Theo remained persistent and replied, "No. I don't have time!" He decided to ignore his mom's presence because he felt as though he could explode at any moment. "Grandma, I am done with my gift. I want your help to get rid of it because I can't save anyone in the end."

Seeing the seriousness in Theo's eyes and feeling the urgency in the way he was holding her hand, Celeste gave her grandson an unfortunate look. "Darling, I cannot help you because... there's no way to get rid of it." Her voice was still somewhat weak and she really struggled in saying more than she needed.

Quickly becoming upset, Theo raised his voice. "If you won't help me, I'll find a way myself! I can't live like this!"

Lexie tried to stop Theo, but he rushed out of the room. She turned to Celeste and gave her mother a worried look.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

In the school cafeteria, Theo and Ciara sat at a round table with their friends. Theo wasn't feeling too good, and one of the other kids noted it. Waving his hand in front of Theo's face, he questioned, "Where are you, man?"

Theo didn't answer. He remained quiet as he tried to figure out what was wrong because he felt something dark and mysterious within him while also surrounding him. Keeping his eyes in one specific direction, he realized he couldn't stop himself from looking at a guitar across the room. He wondered why.

The same kid, Stanley, asked, "Is Theo the Mute back?"

The rest of the kids around the table began to talk about Theo the Mute as soon as the question was asked. "Do you remember how creepy Theo was back then?"

When Theo still didn't answer, one of the other girls, Milena, at the table got in Theo's face and playfully begged, "Don't go back to being Theo the Mute! Please say something…"

Noting something was definitely wrong, Ciara pushed Milena back and glared at the others around the table. "Back off." When the others returned to their food, Ciara leaned into Theo and whispered, "You okay, Carver?"

Finally breaking out of his mind, Theo whispered back, "I'm fine." He looked down at his father's watch and suddenly got a glimpse of something.

"Are you sure?" Ciara pushed bringing Theo back to reality.

"Yeah," Theo maintained. Covering Abe's watch with his hand, he tried to make sense of what just happened to him.

* * *

 _Sunday, December 7th, 2014_

* * *

Sitting at a table in the Brady Pub, Brandon and Jennifer had their eyes glued on Ciara and Theo. With her chin resting on her hand, Jen noted, "It's great Ciara and Theo have each other."

Revealing his personal thoughts, Brandon shared, "I see Abe in Theo so much, and it makes me regret a lot of things."

Jennifer turned her attention to Brandon. She really wanted to get to know him better. "What do you regret particularly?" She didn't want to assume anything.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Brandon stated as he leaned back in his chair. He needed to change the subject fast. "I'm sorry for having to leave Abby and Josh's engagement party early. I was on call and couldn't stay as long as I wanted."

Jennifer allowed the subject change. "I understand, so don't worry. The rest of the party went really well. I got to know Josh's parents better."

Without thinking, Brandon asked, "Did Jack make it through the party?" He then shook his head because he realized how his question sounded. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply anything."

Releasing a small laugh, Jen replied, "I know what you meant. Jack made it through the party… though he did interrogate Josh and his parents through most of it. I had to step in a few times."

Brandon laughed. He wondered, "Did Melissa come with Jack?"

Jennifer thought back to the party and shared, "Melissa was there, but she and Jack did not come together. Jack and I don't talk about who we're dating, but I think Melissa and Jack must be off."

Though they came to the Brady Pub with Brandon and Jennifer, Theo and Ciara sat at their own table to finish an assignment for school together. With a huge smile on his face, Theo announced, "I think I cured myself! I haven't had any bad vibes or visions in a long time. I didn't get anything before we were kidnapped!"

Wanting to hear more, Ciara curiously asked, "How did you do it?"

Theo exhaled hoping that he wasn't jinxing himself by talking about this. "First, I said goodbye to my dad, and then I stopped thinking and worrying about it so much. I started meditating to clear my mind and filled it with other things."

Ciara struggled with Theo's answer for many reasons. Dropping her mechanical pencil on the table, she leaned forward. "How did you know what to do? You said goodbye to your dad? When did all of this happen because you didn't tell me anything?!"

Theo placed his pencil on the table and started to calm Ciara down. "I should have told you before, but I am telling you now. I'm sorry."

Figuring it was more important to get answers now instead of pushing Theo away, Ciara repeated more calmly, "So how did you figure out what you needed to do?" She felt bad because he had to push his dad out of his mind. It was really odd how Theo didn't even seem bothered by it now.

Thinking back, Theo rested his arms on the table and revealed, "I talked to Pastor Carlson about what was happening to me one day after church. He set up a meeting for me to talk to another member of the church that dealt with this type of thing before."

With a skeptical look, Ciara wondered, "Who did you meet with?"

Not wanting to give a name, Theo downplayed that bit of information. "It was this older guy, but that's not important because the guy helped me. He gave me a way to ward off my gift – a bead bracelet that was _blessed_."

Ciara leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and showed she was still unconvinced.

Looking down, Theo admitted, "I believe it works because I haven't had any weird feelings since I put it on."

Ciara now eyed the bracelet on Theo's wrist. She remembered how she thought it was something that Cameron or Brandon gave him for his birthday.

Ciara's silence really worried Theo. He raised his eyes and questioned, "Do you think I made a mistake?"

Realizing how important this was to her friend, Ciara shook her head to be supportive. "You did what was right."

Assured, Theo relaxed and gave Ciara a smile.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Now in Mrs. Horton's Algebra II class, Theo tried to pay attention as the class asked Sophie questions on how to solve different problems on their assignment; he couldn't stop looking at his father's watch though. Every time he did, he would have flashes of a dark room just as he did in the cafeteria during lunch. He wondered if his visions were coming back.

Theo abruptly stood up in the middle of class. Sophie stepped forward and gave Theo an odd look because he never purposely caused a distraction in class. "Theo, are you okay? Do you need to use the restroom?"

Ciara, who sat in the small desk next to Theo, quickly realized something was wrong with her friend. She grabbed his hand and frantically whispered, "Sit down, Theo."

Theo continued to stand there in silence until he suddenly spoke. "No…nno…"

Sophie believed Theo was denying he had to use the bathroom, so she directed him, "Please take your seat again then so we can continue with class."

"No…nno…" Theo repeated before he suddenly dropped to the ground as if he had been hit in the back of his head. He began to have a seizure.

Ciara swiftly jumped out of her desk as Sophie rushed to Theo's side as well. "Theo… Theo!"

Sophie pulled out her phone and briskly called 911. With her phone to her ear, she pointed to Milena and directed, "Take the pass to the office to get the Vice Principal to tell him we have an emergency!"

Milena did as she was told. Sophie turned her attention back to Ciara who was trying to help Theo anyway she could. "Theo, we're going to be okay. You're going to be okay…"


	20. Alexandra Carver

**Chapter 20: Alexandra Carver – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

"So now Peter and Kristen are no longer a part of DiMera Enterprises." After EJ and Sami met with Peter and Kristen, Lexie and Chad sat in EJ's office as EJ shared the news.

Slightly lowering her head, Lexie watched her brother and said, "You were right that Peter and Kristen wouldn't sit like this forever."

EJ wished he could find comfort in that, but he couldn't. "I am not relaxing completely. Though I am not too worried about Peter and Kristen becoming our business rivals, I have a feeling there is more they chose not to say."

Having calmed down since Peter and Kristen's announcement, Sami entered her husband's office after finishing a meeting about her magazine. She supportively rubbed EJ's back and encouraged, "We've got this. We've taken the steps we have to make sure Peter and Kristen cannot put our family in a dangerous spot once again." Turning to the others in the room, she continued, "I realize now that it's a good thing Peter and Kristen are no longer associated with DiMera Enterprises, but we need to make sure we get in front of this so we can spin the story before Peter and Kristen get a chance."

EJ agreed with his wife. "Samantha is right. I need to call Jen and put a statement out on our website while informing our investors of the news. They should be happy about this change."

Lexie's phone began to ring. Checking the screen, she saw it was Brandon. She decided to ignore it for now figuring she could call him back when they had finished discussing Peter and Kristen. "Has there been any news from Italy?"

"Nothing yet," EJ answered his sister when her phone made a noise.

Lexie looked to her phone again and saw a text from Brandon now. He wanted her to call him and claimed it was urgent. Lifting herself off of her chair, she quickly stated, "Excuse me, I need to make a call."

Once she was out in the hall, Lexie called Brandon, who picked up immediately. "What's going on?"

With grave concern, Brandon told Lexie, "You need to get to the hospital as soon as possible!"

"Why?" Lexie asked wondering what could have gone wrong.

Back in EJ's office, Chad scratched the back of his neck and commented, "Peter is the bigger threat because Kristen has a soft spot for the family."

Sami shook her head and cautioned, "Don't underestimate Kristen."

Chad knew Sami had a point. "Don't worry because I know the influence Stefano can have in a person's life. I also know that with Stefano out of the picture, someone can come from out of his influence."

Suddenly rushing back inside the office, Lexie grabbed her things so she could leave. EJ stood up and asked, "What's wrong?"

Lexie made sure she had her keys ready as she shared, "I have to get to the hospital because Theo had a seizure at school and had to be rushed to the hospital." She didn't understand why the school didn't contact her.

"I'll go with you," Chad volunteered immediately.

When EJ echoed Chad, Sami decided to stay at the office to deal with the Peter and Kristen situation. "I'll call Jen, write a statement for our website, and email our investors. I'll handle things here while you go, but please keep me updated." She hoped Theo was okay.

* * *

 _Tuesday, November 12th, 2013_

* * *

In an attempt to bond with Cameron, Lexie reached out and invited him to have coffee at Java Café. "Thanks for agreeing to meet with me. We had a lot of fun at Chad and Will's Halloween Party, but we haven't had too much one on one time."

It took a moment for Cameron to catch up to what was happening because he couldn't stop thinking about how he met with Chelsea the day before to decide they would only be friends. After a moment, he finally gave Lexie a nod. "I'm glad you planned this. With everything that's going on, I think this needed to happen. Sure we've spent time together and talked, but I think a lot of it has been superficial and the both of us walking on eggshells. We need to clear the air about a few things – make things better."

"I agree," Lexie sustained. "When we first met, I was dealing with a lot, and I was not at my best. There were times when we butted heads because I was using my position at the hospital to hide."

Cameron lowered his head remembering the times he called Lexie out in front of everyone. "…and because of my greenness, I didn't always treat you like a human. You were dealing with so much, and I just didn't realize how it could impact you because I have never been in your shoes." There was so much to unpack here and so many questions to ask. He thought about how he found out the man he believed was his father worked for Stefano and then suddenly disappeared.

Lexie tilted her head and tried to excuse Cameron's behavior. "You were right though. I shouldn't have been in charge when I was avoiding accepting Abe's death."

Placing his hand on the small table, Cameron figured he should say something before Lexie brought herself down again. "But you're healing now. I can tell because ever since we came back from Italy, you've been different. Sure things are still stressful as hell, but you're actually moving forward. You're showing that strength and determination I always heard about." Though he considered trying to talk Lexie into returning to the hospital, he ultimately decided against it because he knew she would see that as a step backwards.

A small smile fell on Lexie's face, but she suddenly became a bit overwhelmed with everything going on. Celeste was still in a coma, her father was still on the run, and Theo had not said one word to her since their return to Salem. "I know I can't hide like I did before. Theo needs me more than ever."

Reflecting on what he knew about Theo, Cameron asked, "How is he doing? Is he still not talking?" He knew he made the right decision in not asking Lexie to return to the hospital.

Lexie placed her hands around her coffee cup and shared, "I don't know. He's not talking to me, but I believe he is talking to Ciara because Hope spotted his mouth moving at Billie and Frankie's wedding. I actually have an idea that could reveal whether it's true or not."

"What is your idea?" Cameron asked.

Lexie looked down as she thought about her son. "I will start talking about making plans to see a specialist for him and see if that gets him to open up to me."

Unsure if the plan would give Lexie what she wanted, Cameron wondered, "Do you really think that will work?"

Attempting to remain hopeful, Lexie shared, "Theo is tired of all the attention. I believe having to see another specialist will pull him out of his silence."

"I hope it works then," Cameron seceded.

With a smile, Lexie moved on. "Do you have plans for Thanksgiving?"

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

With her brothers in tow, Lexie promptly arrived to the hospital to find Brandon waiting for them near the nurses' station. "Tell me what happened – everything."

Brandon shuddered distressfully as he restlessly shared, "Theo was brought in because he had a seizure in class."

Before Brandon could say more, Lexie decided she heard enough and declared, "I want to see him. What room is he in?"

Brandon stopped her though. "You can't see him because they're running tests on him now."

"What tests?" Lexie asked immediately. It had been some time since she had gone full-on doctor mode, but she wanted to make sure her son got the best treatment possible.

Fortunately for Brandon, Daniel walked out with a chart in his hand. "I'm glad you made it, Lexie."

EJ stepped forward and asked, "How is Theo?"

Daniel gave everyone a pensive look before sharing, "When Theo was brought in, he was unconscious. We went ahead and started running some tests since you gave Brandon permission to make those calls. Theo is awake now, and we're now prepping him for a CT scan to check for brain swelling because he shared complaints of nausea and a headache. We want to cover all of our bases to make sure Theo gets the treatment he needs."

Noting the look of concern on Lexie's face, Chad quickly grabbed her hand to comfort her. "He's going to be okay," he released. He prayed Lexie didn't lose Theo like she lost Abe.

Daniel focused on Lexie as he continued, "I need to ask you a few questions about Theo to make sure we're doing everything we can."

Lexie swallowed her fears and nodded her head to communicate she understood.

* * *

 _Sunday, May 4th, 2014_

* * *

Heading for her bedroom, Lexie stopped outside of Theo's door when she heard crying coming from his bedroom. The door was cracked so she carefully peered inside to find Theo on his bed sobbing uncontrollably.

Lexie knew she had to investigate, so she walked inside and gently sat on Theo's queen-size bed. Tenderly placing her hand on her son's back she began to rub it so he knew she was there. "Theo, can you tell me why you're so upset?" She wondered if this had anything to do with his gift because he had become more distant recently.

Theo managed to control his crying. He wiped his face and sat up. He looked to his mother for a moment before pulling up his knees to rest his chin on them. "I…" he started but paused to wipe his face again and sniffle. "I had to say goodbye to dad for good…"

Tears began to flow from Theo's eyes once more. Lexie couldn't help but do the same because she felt her son's pain. Wiping her face now, she asked, "Why did you have to say goodbye for good?"

Theo continued to struggle with answering. There was so much he could say, but he wasn't sure if he could fully explain himself. Eventually, he simply released, "I had to grow up."

Continually rubbing her son's back, Lexie tried to make sense of what was happening. It almost seemed like this was something Theo was forced to do. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Theo could only shake his head no at this point. He rested his forehead on his arms and cried some more. Lexie moved closer to her son, wrapped her arms around him, and held him. Why was this still so hard for them?

* * *

 _Friday, June 13th, 2014_

* * *

Lexie arrived to the hospital because Chelsea asked her to come in. After checking in and taking a seat in one of the waiting areas, her phone began to ring. It was EJ. "Afternoon brother," she answered.

"This is about Chad," EJ announced right out. "Do you think he's being honest with us about everything or is he keeping us in the dark?" A part of him wondered if Lexie knew more than he did.

Lexie disliked being the middle of this. She thought about how EJ and Chad seemed to talk to her about the other but seemed to never to talk to each other. "About what exactly?" she questioned rhetorically. "Chad and Will are building their home together while Chad also focuses on finding out if his mother has anymore secrets out there."

Completely missing Lexie's disdain, EJ took in what Lexie said and wondered, "So Chad hasn't found anything else about his mother?"

Unable to do this anymore, Lexie suggested, "You and Chad need to talk to each other for once. I'm tired of being the middle woman here."

Lexie's response made EJ realize something. "So Chad thinks I'm keeping secrets from him as well…"

Chelsea approached Lexie to let her know they could head into her office to talk. Before EJ could say more, Lexie quickly stated, "I have to go. I'll see you later." She ended the call and followed Chelsea after putting her phone away.

Taking a seat across from Chelsea, Lexie placed her purse on her lap and asked, "Is everything okay with Theo?" After some very emotional issues, Theo seemed to be better now.

With a nod, Chelsea answered, "He seems to be doing well. He's still not talking much about his dad, but he seems more positive about his future. That's not why I called you in though."

"Why did you call me in?" Lexie questioned.

Chelsea gave Lexie an uncomfortable look because this was not easy to talk about. "I wanted to discuss Theo's previous diagnosis of autism. I believe it may have been a misdiagnosis because after running a few different assessments, he doesn't appear to be on the spectrum anymore."

Lexie scratched her forehead and exhaled. She wondered if Theo was misdiagnosed because of his gift. Leaning forward, she asked, "So what does this mean?" She really struggled in how to feel about this.

Chelsea deeply sighed. "It means that if Theo continues to do well, services will come to an end soon."

Dropping her hands to her lap, Lexie paused to take this all in. "I don't know what to say," she admitted. "I guess this all works out since you're leaving the hospital to do private practice with Diego Lopez."

Partially smiling, Chelsea agreed. "I guess it does."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Now sitting in one of the waiting rooms with Chad and Cameron since EJ was checking in with Sami, Lexie tried to keep herself from thinking the worst by focusing on her other issues. It wasn't working unfortunately because Theo was the most important thing to her. She was doing everything to make sure he had a safe future, and now there was a possibility that he may not have one.

Recognizing that his sister was in her head, Chad placed his hand on hers and asked, "Do you need anything?"

Lexie shook her head. Facing Chad, she said, "If you need to head into work, you can. We're just waiting here."

"It's okay," Chad quickly informed her. "Will is in command and has Dario and Josh helping him. The studio will be closed tomorrow and over the weekend, so I have nothing pressing happening there."

Lexie couldn't help it. She felt overcrowded and believed she was wasting the others' time because there was nothing anyone could do. "You really don't need to be here, Chad," she repeated.

Cameron caught Lexie's attention by placing his hand on her other hand. "Lexie, there are other reasons Theo may have had a seizure such as elevated or lowered blood sugar."

Pointing her finger up, Lexie calmly recalled, "Daniel did mention Theo's blood sugar was low."

As Lexie took another deep breath, Chad noted Cameron was able to calm their sister down. He wished he could have done the job, but he did appreciate Cameron's ability to share his expertise and remind Lexie not to think of the worst while jumping to conclusions.

Daniel entered the room with an update. "We are processing the results as fast as we can, so you can see Theo now. He can also eat something. I know he must be hungry."

Lexie stood up and turned to her brothers. "I'll be back." She followed Daniel to the room where Theo was. When she saw him, she immediately noted he seemed a bit out of it even though he was eating a snack one of the nurses most likely provided. "Does your head still hurt?"

Theo didn't respond. He only scrunched his face.

Taking a seat next to her son, Lexie grabbed his hand and rubbed it. "How are you feeling, Theo? Tell me what happened."

Theo showed great fear in his eyes as he finally spoke. "I'm afraid to talk about it." He looked to his wrist and noted there was a band on it with his name. His father's watch was no longer there. Remembering the beaded bracelet he received to suppress his gift, he thought about how it broke recently due to his wearing it all the time; it was possible that was the reason he was now in the hospital.

A realization came to Lexie as to what could have caused his seizure. She took a moment before finally asking, "Did the visions come back?"

Theo turned away from his mom because it was too much. "I want to be left alone. I need to rest because my head hurts."

Lexie did not leave. "I only want to make sure you're okay."

"I will be, mom. I will be."

* * *

 _Wednesday, June 18th, 2014_

* * *

While Theo was at summer camp with Ciara and their friends, Lexie had her mother over for lunch so they could discuss Theo and his gifts. Even though they had seen each other often, this was the first time Lexie allowed herself to be completely open with Celeste about her son. "Theo recently said bye to Abe's spirit. He was a mess."

Celeste knew that must have been hard for Theo and, studying her daughter, she realized the same could be said for Lexie. "What reasons would he have to say goodbye to Abraham?"

Moving her hair from her face, Lexie hypothesized, "I believe he did so in an attempt to get rid of his gift."

Shaking her head, Celeste wished she could help Theo accept his gift, but he was keeping her at bay. "Alexandra, there is no way to get rid of it permanently, but I know he is trying his hardest to cut himself off from it."

Feeling torn, Lexie maintained, "I want to support his decision in this no matter what. I want him to enjoy his life and to be a kid. This responsibility is too much for him."

Understanding Lexie's wishes for Theo, Celeste still cautioned, "This will only lead to disappointment for Theodore as long as he fights it." When her daughter looked away, Celeste patted Lexie's hand. "I understand you are worried and you wish you could take this away, but from experience I know the best thing he can do is accept this and hone what he has been blessed with."

Lexie returned her attention to her mother and shook her head. "Blessed?" she questioned to make sure she heard Celeste correctly. "I know in the past you have spoken about your gift as if it were a curse. Don't try to make me feel better about this because there's no way I can, mom. I've seen what this does to you as an adult after years of experiences… how can I expect it to be different – if not worse – for him?"

Celeste looked away unsure of what to say.

Lexie continued to shake her head before looking out the window. She wished she had Abe with her now more than ever.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After leaving Theo's hospital room so he could rest and eat, Lexie caught up with Cameron and Brandon near the nurses' station. "I don't know what to do to help him," she fearfully admitted.

Nicole walked off the elevator with Hope and Ciara. They didn't come together, but they arrived for the same reason. As Hope and Ciara gave Lexie a hug, Nicole asked, "How are things going with Theo?"

Lexie thanked everyone for coming before sharing, "We are still waiting for some test results, but I think he will be just fine. I have faith that this can be easily treated."

"We'll keep praying that is the case," Hope replied when Celeste arrived hoping to see Theo.

"Alexandra, darling, where is he?" Celeste questioned with urgency in her voice. "I must see Theodore."

Lexie stopped her mom from going anywhere. Though she recognized Celeste could help, she also didn't want Theo to feel overwhelmed by her presence because she figured Celeste would push him on what he saw in his visions. "Theo doesn't want any visitors right now."

Celeste exhaled deeply. She could not escape the dark feeling that seemed to increase when she arrived to the hospital. "It is imperative I talk to him now!"

Celeste's urgency only increased Lexie's anxiety from the situation, but things got even worse when Daniel approached the group. "I have news," he revealed showing great uncertainty on his face.

Lexie began to fear the worst once more. She believed she may have been wrong about Theo having visions.


	21. Eric Brady

**Chapter 21: Eric Brady – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

 **D** riving around aimlessly, Eric hoped something would catch his eye soon. He needed inspiration, but so far he was getting nothing. He turned and looked at his camera on the passenger seat and wondered if he would be able to get anything in for the next art show. The struggle was real, and he knew he needed to put something together that truly meant something to him. Deciding to take a break to clear his head, Eric pulled in and parked close to the Brady Pub.

Entering the pub, Eric saw Gabi behind the bar. He placed his hands in his pockets as he approached her to ask, "Is my grandma upstairs?"

"Yes, she is," Gabi quickly answered before returning to what she was doing.

"Thanks." Eric headed upstairs and found Caroline in the TV room watching one of her favorite shows. "Hey grandma, I stopped by to make sure you're feeling okay."

Caroline grabbed the remote and pushed the pause button. "I'm fine. Belle and Shawn were here earlier. I also talked to Bo and Hope before that."

Taking a seat next to Caroline, Eric rubbed her shoulder and asked, "Are you feeling crowded?"

After Eric winked at her, Caroline shook her head and denied it. "No. I'm happy to have visitors since I don't do much these days. You know, I honestly think that's why I'm not as strong as I used to be."

Eric hated thinking about his grandmother being weak. "You are helping out with the food Saturday morning, right?"

Caroline nodded her head to confirm she was. "I'm also helping with some of the prep on Friday," she shared verbally before changing the subject. "How's Nicole?"

Showing a bit of tension on his face, Eric released, "Nicole is fine. We're just keeping busy with work."

Caroline took Eric's hand from her shoulder and asked, "Are you being totally honest with me? I know that Nicole was having a tough time for a while."

Sighing to release the tension he felt, Eric claimed, "Things are getting back to normal every day. We're adjusting."

Patting her grandson's hand, Caroline beamed, "I hope you two get what you want in the end."

"I hope so, too, grandma," Eric replied through a smile.

"How is work going for you?"

When Eric's phone went off, he took his hand from Caroline and stood up so he could pull his phone from his pocket since his pants were a bit tight. He received a text from Nicole that read: "Brandon just called me and said Theo had to be rushed to the hospital."

Noting the worried look on Eric's face, Caroline asked, "What's the matter?"

Eric returned his phone to his pocket before moving in closer to give Caroline a kiss on her forehead. "Theo Carver had to be rushed to the hospital. Seems Nicole is heading that way, so I should go and meet her there." After giving his grandmother a hug, he said, "I'll come check in with you tomorrow. I love you."

Caroline nodded her head. "Okay, Eric. I love you, too. Please be careful. See you tomorrow."

* * *

 _Friday, April 11th, 2014_

* * *

For their wedding, Eric and Nicole decided on a small ceremony with close family and friends at St. Luke's. Even though it was nice to have the support from the many who attended, Eric and Nicole mainly focused on each other throughout the ceremony. "Now comes the time for you two to share your vows," Father Felix declared.

As Eric began to speak his vows, Nicole watched him lovingly while continually noting how dapper he looked in his fitted black tux. She never thought this day would come; tears fell down her face as every word that escaped her soon to be husband's lips made her fall more in love with him. She sincerely didn't want to mess this up and hoped that nothing or no one would get in the way of their relationship, including herself.

Eric finished his vows. It was Nicole's turn. Taylor quickly handed Nicole a tissue due to the tears. As Nicole began to share her vows, Eric beamed as he took in Nicole's beauty. With her form-fitting pearl gown, she never looked more elegant before. He breathed deeply and felt honored by the way she described their love and how he made her feel. It was all he wanted and as he mentioned in his vows, he knew he would always fight for Nicole no matter what. He never wanted to lose her again.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Eric arrived to Salem University Hospital in time for Daniel to come out to give Nicole, Lexie, Celeste, Hope, Ciara, Brandon, and Cameron an update on Theo. He stood back as Dr. Jonas shared, "We are running tests now to check his blood sugar levels once more. We still don't have answers unfortunately since we are waiting for the results from the CT scan." He kept his eyes on Lexie as he continued to admit, "We probably won't have those until tomorrow if we're lucky. In the meantime, we are considering an EEG overnight if you sign off on it, Lexie."

Ciara carefully walked over to Lexie unsure of what to make of Daniel's update. "Lexie, is there any way I can go and see Theo now?" She couldn't get the last image of Theo out of her head.

Processing the news herself, Lexie took a moment before answering. "Actually, I think that would be great." She remembered how Ciara was the only one Theo would talk to after what happened in Urbino a few years back.

Celeste watched as Lexie took Ciara to go talk to Theo. She was upset that Lexie was obviously keeping her far from her grandson. She wondered if Lexie wanted it that way or if Theo asked Lexie to keep her away. Walking off, she decided she needed some coffee.

As Cameron encouraged Brandon that everything would work out, Eric watched Nicole's face. He moved closer and noted this was greatly impacting her. Attempting to grab her hand, he said her name. "Nicole…"

Nicole took her hand before Eric could grab it. She didn't do it purposefully because she wasn't aware of the fact that her husband was reaching for it. "I should go talk to my brother…" she decided. Approaching Brandon, she gave him a hug hoping to be a comfort for him, but this was too much for her. Ashamed, she let go of her brother and, without warning, rushed down the hall.

* * *

 _Tuesday, December 16th, 2014_

* * *

At the penthouse, Eric and Nicole were rushing around to make sure everything was in order because of a call they had received a half-hour ago. They were trying not to let the pressure get to them, but they really wanted to make a great first impression. A knock on the door forced them to stop what they were doing and turn to each other. "Here goes nothing," Eric said as he grabbed the back of his neck.

Nicole led Eric to the door before opening it. "Hi," she released softly hoping she could mask her nerves.

Kimmy Nguyen, the D.H.S. worker, entered the penthouse with a small boy. She gave Eric and Nicole a smile as she introduced him. "This is Colton. He needs a place to stay for the time being." Looking down at Colton, she decided to give him a nudge as she introduced his new Foster parents. "Colton, this is Eric and Nicole Brady. You'll be staying with them while we figure things out with your parents."

Eric stood back nervously as Nicole leaned down and introduced herself again. "Hi Colton. My name is Nicole. I don't know what happened with your parents, but I hope you know that my husband and I are going to do our best to be there for you. I know this must be hard for you."

Colton locked eyes with Nicole and saw sincerity in them. He firmly took Nicole's hand and said, "Hi, Nicole." They had an immediate connection.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Eric quickly followed Nicole into one of the waiting rooms. Giving her some space, he stayed back and attentively requested, "Nicole, please tell me how you're feeling about all of this."

Avoiding eye contact, Nicole dismissively answered, "My feelings aren't important." She wiped her moist face and added, "I want to be here for Brandon and Lexie, but I am struggling with keeping myself together. I wish I was stronger."

Eric thoughtfully stepped closer. "You are strong, Nicole. Do you want to go home?"

"No," Nicole swiftly declared.

"Do you want to go back to work?"

Nicole gave the same answer before continuing, "I want to stay and talk to Brandon. I know this has to be hard for him." She knew that even though she did rush away, he was the reason she came to the hospital in the first place. She wanted to show her brother she was there for him.

With a heartfelt sigh, Eric tried to say something positive. "I'm sure Theo will be okay." He inched closer and asked, "Do you want me to stay?"

Bewildered, Nicole promptly replied without any true emotion, "Do what you have to do. I will call you later."

Not wanting to push further, Eric agreed to go. Though he felt dejected, he managed to push his feelings to the back of his mind. He knew Nicole needed her space and his presence only seemed to make her more anxious. "Are we still on for dinner tonight?"

Realizing how she was treating Eric, Nicole finally looked into her husband's eyes. She felt horrible that her perceived weakness was now pushing him away because of what they had been through over the past year. "Yes. There's something important I need to tell you tonight." She gave him a kiss to show her appreciation for his meeting her there. She knew he did not have to do that.

After the kiss, Eric slowly headed for the elevator. He thought about the kiss, and though it was a nice gesture to help him feel more at ease, he couldn't help noticing how Nicole didn't seem completely into it. On his way, he bumped into Sonny. "Oh, sorry man."

With a big smile on his face, Sonny exclaimed, "Eric, I'm really happy to see you…"

The smile on Sonny's face really caught Eric off guard because of the sadness in Nicole when he left her. He tried to brush off the weird experience and asked, "What's up?"

"I only want to check in with you about the festivities tomorrow," Sonny shared. He had just talked to Celeste.

Eric nodded his head as he tried to turn his focus on what Sonny was talking about. "Everything is in order. I've got everything I need for the photo booth, and it should be set up before anything starts. It will be a great party." The weirdness inside of him continued because while a part of him felt down, thinking about the wedding also made him feel the same happiness Sonny was clearly experiencing.

Pleased, Sonny graciously replied, "Thanks again for your help. I'll see you around."

After Sonny walked off, Eric returned to his trek for the elevator. He made it and pushed the button, but before he could go in, Hope stopped him this time. "Eric."

Since there were a few people who wanted on the elevator, Eric told them to go ahead before turning his attention to Hope. "Aunt Hope, what can I do for you?"

With her arms wrapped around her body, Hope grimaced and said, "It's been a tough week. Caroline being rushed to the hospital and now Theo is here. Hopefully, his seizure was a one-time thing." She shuddered as she moved on, "We should talk about your dad. When was the last time you talked to him?"

Remembering how Sami told him she would talk to EJ about Roman and let him know if she heard anything, Eric grabbed the back of his neck as he thought back to the last time he talked to his father. "The last time I talked to him was earlier in the year. I tried to call him a few times after, but he never answered. I know Sami and Will tried as well with no luck either." He noted the look of fear on his aunt's face and realized she seemed to know more than he expected. "How… how did you find out about my dad – about his being missing?"

Dropping her hands so she could place them in her pockets, Hope revealed, "Caroline told Bo and me about Roman and Egypt this morning."

Completely shocked to find out Caroline remembered everything, Eric realized she was hiding her concern about his dad rather well when he saw her earlier. "It's such a mess," he said under his breath.

Hope sighed wishing someone had something they could use to find Roman. "Bo had the same problem with trying to contact him. We will find your dad. Don't worry."

"I hope so," Eric said before saying bye to his aunt. He pushed the button for the elevator again. Fortunately, it opened right up. He entered the elevator so he could head home.

* * *

 _Saturday, March 14th, 2015_

* * *

Coming down the long stairs, Eric wiped his hands on his pants as he joined Carrie and Will on the sofa in his penthouse. "By the way, you are witnessing a good day with Colton. Finn's presence is most likely helping."

Carrie, who was in town with Austin and Finn for her birthday, began to laugh at Eric because of the overwhelming expression on his face. "I am sure Colton has good days with you all the time."

Throwing himself down on the couch, Eric shamefully admitted, "I don't know what I'm doing with Colton. With Nicole working with Jack, I struggle because Colton seems to really hate me when she's not around."

Noting this was a real struggle for his uncle, Will tried to encourage Eric. "I don't know what to say as far as parenting goes because I'm not one, but I know that you are one of the most caring and helpful people I know."

Carrie echoed Will's sentiment and added, "Maybe the pressure is just getting to you. Being a parent isn't easy, and though there are tons of self-help books on different types of parenting, each experience is not the same. I know you won't give up on Colton, and he will see that."

Eric sighed heavily. "You're right." He knew he couldn't give up on Colton no matter how hard it got.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Arriving home, Eric found John and Marlena sitting outside drinking coffee. They were staying with him temporarily since they found their townhouse unexpectedly flooded when they returned from Colorado the night before. Throwing his keys on the table, he made his way to the balcony to share, "I was just at the hospital."

Marlena looked up and asked, "What happened? Did Caroline faint again?"

Eric denied it. "No. Theo had a seizure while he was at school."

John took Marlena's hand and suggested, "Maybe we should go to the hospital to check in with Lexie."

Before his mother could agree, Eric stepped in and shared, "The hospital is a bit crowded so you may not really get to see Lexie." He poured himself a cup of coffee. "Aunt Hope asked me about dad before I left."

"Why?" John curiously questioned.

Realizing John and Marlena had no idea about his father's disappearance, Eric wondered why Hope and Bo didn't tell them. He hadn't told them about why Caroline fainted because Sami asked him to keep that bit of information a secret. Figuring there was no point in withholding the truth from them, he revealed, "My dad is apparently missing. Sami got the news from Peter and told our grandma, and that's why she fainted."

Confusion covered Marlena's face. "Why would Peter know?"

Eric shrugged his shoulders as he took a sip of his cooling coffee. "I am not completely sure if Peter could be playing games, but it has been difficult to reach him for a while now."

"I'll make some calls," John decided to involve himself. He felt a bit restless because he hadn't returned to work since his mini-vacation with Marlena.

Marlena shook her head. "I hope he's okay." As John headed inside, Marlena saw the uncertainty in Eric and encouraged, "Your father will be okay. John will find him."

* * *

 _Monday, July 13th, 2015_

* * *

As soon as he spotted Jack standing in one of the waiting rooms, Eric couldn't hold back on his frustrations. "What the hell do you think you were doing out there?" Eric raised his voice. He was especially stressed due to a conversation he had with Colton about death and Nicole not even two weeks prior.

Jack put his hands out and tried to calm Eric. "Whoa there… Eric… we were working." He had never seen Eric this way before.

"Working?" Eric questioned making sure he heard Jack correctly. "That's all you have to say? While you were working, my wife was attacked! She was brought to the hospital to make sure she would be okay! The last time I checked, your job description did not include putting your life in danger any chance you got! This cannot keep happening, Jack!"

Jack remained calm and casually crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you really think I wanted this to happen? This is our job. Nicole and I get to the truth. I can't control all the variables."

"Obviously, Jack…" Eric understandably shook his head, but he wasn't done chewing Jack out. "You can control where you go though. You need to stop putting my wife in dangerous situations when she is going through so much in her life!"

With a concerned look, Jack countered, "What about all the other people going through so much in their lives? They need someone to be there for them." He paused for a moment to study Eric. He could tell he was only getting more flustered about this. "Are you really going to stand there and tell me Nicole can't make a decision for herself?"

Even more annoyed, Eric argued, "You know that's not what I'm trying to do. I simply want you to listen, for once in your life, to what is happening outside of yourself to realize that the people who are closest to you are hurting, too."

Now feeling personally attacked, Jack questioned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Eric knew Jack wasn't an idiot but he couldn't help himself from becoming increasingly frustrated. "Let me be straight with you, Jack. Maybe I'm not being completely clear here." He dropped his hands in front of him for emphasis as he continued, "Nicole and I are people, too. We don't deserve to get hurt."

Challenging Eric still, Jack wondered, "Is this really about Nicole or you? Are you more afraid that you will be the one who's hurt in the end?"

Jack clearly hit the final nerve with Eric. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

While John was upstairs making calls, Eric sat with his mother in silence. Marlena studied her son and was worried about him because though he did not say a word verbally, his body language was communicating quite a bit. "Did you ever find inspiration for your art show this morning?"

Eric picked up his coffee cup and remembered it was empty. Placing it back on the small glass table next to him, he turned and disclosed, "I didn't. I drove around before checking in with grandma at the pub. That's when Nicole informed me about Theo, so I rushed to the hospital. I can't believe this is happening to Lexie again."

Marlena leaned back in her seat and questioned, "Is Nicole with Brandon?"

Eric confirmed it and admitted, "I'm worried this will only bring Nicole down again."

Noting the fear in her son, Marlena commented, "I know Nicole has lost a lot in life, but she has you there to support her through this."

Eric wished he could be so sure. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm enough for her," he confessed.

"Why do you think that?" Marlena wondered as she turned her head to the side.

Eric looked past his mom as he expounded, "Nicole wants so much out of life, and I want her to have it all, but… but I can't do that."

Moving in closer to Eric, Marlena cautioned, "Son, you're putting too much responsibility on yourself. Is Nicole giving you what you want?"

Offended by his mother's question, Eric gave her an annoyed look. "You're showing your dislike for Nicole again."

"Eric, that's not what I'm doing," Marlena quickly claimed. "I'm asking because you don't seem happy."

Still defensive, Eric argued, "I am happy because I am married to the love of my life."

Marlena still doubted Eric's happiness but figured he hadn't realized it himself. She could see there was a cut off between Nicole and Eric recently and their work schedules definitely played a role in that. There was a bigger issue that came to the forefront though. "Do you want to have children, Eric?"

"I do," Eric answered in a way to show he wondered why she would even ask.

"What is the problem then?" Marlena rhetorically enquired. She wanted Eric to process everything with her as she continued, "I know you're not happy because you keep blaming yourself for not being able to please Nicole."

Eric was done. He did not want to continue this conversation. "Please just drop this because I'm not in the mood for a therapy session."

Offended now, Marlena claimed, "I'm not shrinking you, Eric. I'm only concerned you are ignoring yourself."

Shaking his head, Eric responded, "I'm not because Nicole is me. We became one when we married each other."

Marlena sighed. "I can understand that – believe me – I can. I can also understand that love is not always easy. It can be torture sometimes."

Seeing that Marlena was talking from her own experience, Eric softened towards his mother. He could relate to what she was saying now. "Nicole wants to talk to me tonight about something," he revealed.

Following Eric's lead, Marlena asked, "Do you have any clue what it may be?"

"I'm not completely sure," Eric admitted, "…but I think it could be good news with the way Nicole looked at me when she told me."

Giving her best look of reassurance, Marlena said, "I hope so. I want the best for you and Nicole."

Eric looked out towards the view and took a deep breath. "I want the same."


	22. Nicole Brady

**Chapter 22: Nicole Brady – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

 **E** xpecting today to be like any other weekday, Nicole entered the office building where she worked. Adjusting her small purse over her shoulder, she headed for Noël's desk and pointed towards Jack's office. "He in today?"

Noël nodded his head and said, "He was here before me so who knows how long he's been here."

After an appreciative nod, Nicole walked into Jack's office while pulling her phone out to open her email app. Without making eye contact with her partner in crime, she announced, "The producers are really pushing for us to cover the wedding this weekend because it's a huge deal for Salem."

Jack didn't hide his annoyance at Nicole's claim. "There are more important things to do such as follow up on the drug ring happening in Salem."

Sighing, Nicole released, "Jackeroo, I know you want to do this for JJ, but we need to tread carefully with this." She thought about the dangerous situations they found themselves previously working on this story.

Jack stopped what he was doing and asked, "Did the producers really ask us to cover the wedding or was it Eric?" Nicole's words didn't sound like her, and he knew she only just arrived to the office.

Before Nicole could respond, her phone began to ring. She looked at the screen and put her finger up because she needed to buy herself some time. "Hold that thought. We will continue this conversation after I talk to Brandon." She answered, "What's up?"

Jack rolled his eyes at Nicole as Brandon shared, "Theo's in the hospital. I thought you should know."

Brandon continued to tell her what happened, but Nicole cut him off. "I'll be right there." It was as if she forgot where she was and what she was doing before he called. Pulling the phone away from her ear, she told Jack, "I am taking the day off. You can talk to the producers about the wedding if you don't want to do it."

Jack watched disapprovingly as Nicole left his office. He picked up a picture of JJ and thought about what he needed to do before his son got out of rehab permanently.

* * *

 _Saturday, December 27th, 2014_

* * *

Nicole entered the kitchen and found Eric making breakfast. He was looking rather good in his flannel pajama pants. She tiptoed closer to him before playfully grabbing his butt. "Good morning, Eric." Keeping her hands on his ass, she gave him a kiss when he turned his head in her direction.

Hearing a noise from the other room, Nicole quickly stepped back and asked, "Is he awake?"

Eric nodded his head and motioned towards the next room. He enjoyed seeing how excited Nicole was about having someone else in their care. "Go ahead. I have everything covered here."

Leaving Eric to continue with breakfast, Nicole quietly entered the room to find Colton playing with the toys she and Eric got him for Christmas. She sat down with him and asked, "Did you wake up early?"

"Yeah," Colton answered without losing focus on what he was doing. "I couldn't wait to play with my toys again."

Nicole couldn't help but smile at how adjusted Colton seemed with them already. "Do you miss any of your old toys from home?"

With his focus still on his toys, Colton shared, "I don't have any toys at home. Mom and dad had to sell them so they could get money for their medicine."

Colton's answer caused Nicole to freeze for a moment. After talking to Kimmy in private, she found out Colton's biological parents were into drugs. "You will get to keep your toys," she promised. "I won't take them away from you."

Colton smiled. He handed one over and asked, "Will you play with me?"

"Of course," Nicole gladly accepted.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After sending Eric home, Nicole left the waiting room to search for her brother again. She found Brandon with Cameron in one of the halls; both were complaining about the coffee at the hospital being especially bad today. Cutting in, she questioned, "Have there been any more updates about Theo?"

"No," Brandon hopelessly answered.

Cameron looked at the time and begrudgingly sighed. "I really should get back to work. I'll check in later." Brandon patted Cameron on the back before he walked away.

With Cameron gone, Nicole questioned her brother, "Do you have any appointments?"

Brandon denied it. "I finished my shift when Theo was brought in." He felt restless – useless. "Maybe I should see if Ciara is done talking to my brother."

Nicole couldn't help but notice how agitated Brandon was. She took his hand, pushed her own feelings to the side, and tried to be positive for him. "It's going to be okay."

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Brandon shook his head as he admitted, "A part of me knows everything will be okay, but at the same time, that fear is still there."

Nicole squeezed Brandon's hand. "I understand what you mean. The anniversary of Abe's death was last month… and yeah…" She stopped herself due to her emotions coming to the forefront again.

Brandon's thoughts went to Abe and how he tried to be there for Lexie and Theo after his father's death. "We almost lost Lexie. I don't even know what would happen to her if Theo died…" Lowering his head, he stopped himself from going further down the rabbit hole and said, "I need to stop talking about a scenario that won't happen."

Letting go of Brandon's hand, Nicole moved so she now stood in front of her brother. "Loss is a part of life unfortunately."

Brandon agreed and hesitantly mentioned, "Just like mom." He knew Nicole was thinking about Faye earlier and didn't want to mention her, but he couldn't help it.

Rubbing her arm up and down, Nicole admitted, "I still struggle with the idea that Faye Walker is gone from this world."

* * *

 _Wednesday July 1st, 2015_

* * *

In a hospital in the Chicago area, Nicole, Taylor, and Brandon gathered around Faye, who was in a coma fading away slowly. It was definitely an experience for all three to see their mother this way – knowing that soon she would take her last breath. "I can't believe this is it…"

Taylor heard Nicole's words and figured it would be appropriate to say something nice about their mother before she passed. "Mom really tried to make up for everything later in life."

Unable to break an old habit, Nicole hastily lashed out. "Well, you didn't really experience as much as Brandon and me did…" She quickly realized what had escaped her mouth and apologized. "Sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

Taylor didn't respond and simply kept to herself while avoiding her older sister completely.

Nicole watched her mom and reflected on their difficult relationship. She began to tear up as she shared, "Faye really did try her best to make up for our childhood. I wonder if she can still hear us talking."

"I think she can," Brandon said to encourage his sisters to speak their mind so they could heal.

Stepping forward and away from Taylor, Nicole wiped her face and began to talk to Faye. "I'm really sorry I made you work so hard in the end, and I hope you knew – know – that I don't hate you."

Brandon turned to Taylor to see if she wanted to say anything else. She shook her head but moved closer to her mom so she could grab her hand. It was her own way of communicating to her mom how much she meant to her.

Brandon returned his attention to Faye and said, "Mom, you tried to hold everything together for everyone. Now it's up to us to keep that going. We can't ever give up on each other."

Meanwhile, Eric sat in the hospital cafeteria eating lime Jell-O with Colton, who was rather quiet due to being in a new environment. Eric studied his foster son closely when he received a message from his twin sister. Enclosed was a picture of Julian and his smash cake for his first birthday. Eric quickly responded: "I wish I could be there. He looks so excited. I will definitely be there for the party this weekend."

Colton suddenly grabbed Eric's hand and attention. "Can I go where Nicole is?"

Putting his phone on the table, Eric thought about it for a moment before answering, "We will have to stay in here for now."

"Are we waiting for her to die?" Colton questioned almost immediately.

Dumbfounded, Eric had to take a moment to collect his thoughts. He didn't realize Colton had any clue Faye was so bad off. "Nicole must have told him," he mentally told himself.

Eric was finally about to respond, but Colton cut him off with another big question. "Will the same thing happen to Nicole?"

Eric struggled even more. For clarification, he asked, "What do you mean? What are you asking will happen to Nicole?"

Keeping direct eye contact with Eric, Colton innocently questioned, "Is Nicole going to die in the hospital?"

Rubbing his hands together, Eric carefully stated, "Death is a part of life, but Nicole isn't going to die. You won't lose her."

Colton returned to eating his green Jell-O. "I don't want to lose Nicole because she makes things easier for me," he shared rather casually.

Noting Colton seemed to be calm about the conversation they were having, Eric allowed a small smile to fall on his face as he repeated, "You won't lose Nicole." He then added, "You are important to her as well."

With a smile, Colton beamed, "Just like I'm important to you, too." After Eric agreed with a nod, Colton made eye contact with him once more as he genuinely stated, "I don't want to lose you either."

The sincerity in Colton's words touched Eric in a way he had never experienced before. He didn't want to ever forget this moment. For the first time, he truly felt connected with Colton.

Back in Faye's room, Brandon moved in the middle of Nicole and Taylor and grabbed their hands. He inhaled for a moment and finally exhaled when Faye had also taken her last breath. Nicole wiped her eyes as tears began to flow.

* * *

 _Monday, July 13th, 2015_

* * *

After being cleared, Nicole found Eric and Jack arguing in one of the waiting rooms. She heard Eric shout, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Interrupting the moment, she stood between her husband and co-worker and attempted to calm things down by reassuringly stating, "Everything checked out. I just bumped my head and have a few scratches."

Eric gave Nicole a look to ask her if she was serious. "Stop trying to dismiss what happened tonight. You were thrown and hit the back of your head against the wall. You were unresponsive!"

Deciding to get out of there while he could, Jack gently placed his hand on Nicole's shoulder and said, "I'm happy everything checked out. I will talk to you later."

With Jack gone now, Eric didn't let up on Nicole with his questions of concern. "Why are you minimizing the danger you were in out there?" His conversation with Colton the night of Faye's death played through his mind.

Nicole rolled her eyes wishing Eric would drop this conversation. "You need to calm down, Eric. I put myself in that situation. I thought you were okay with me working with Jack."

Eric clapped back, "I thought you were done putting yourself in dangerous situations after being held captive in the DiMera mansion basement, being kidnapped by a creeper stalker fan, and then almost dying in an explosion in Italy."

"Really?" Nicole was feeling even more agitated all of a sudden. "Eric, all of that happened a couple of years ago. Do you want me to point out how you are Sami's emergency contact in case something DiMera happens to her and her brood? Oh, never mind… I just did. If you want me to stop working so we can starve and lose Colton, then I will."

Eric couldn't believe Nicole went there. "I don't want that at all," he quickly replied. Catching up to everything Nicole seemed to imply in her statement, he argued, "I still have my income so that wouldn't happen anyway. What I'm worried about is that you won't be around to help me take care of Colton!"

Nicole was done with this conversation. She rubbed her head and said, "I have a headache. I just want to go home."

Eric sighed knowing he had lost his cool on Nicole. He tried to give her a hug as he assured, "I'm happy you're okay."

Nicole backed off before Eric could hug her though. She exited the waiting room while saying, "We should pick up Colton."

Eric followed his wife out thinking about how he promised Colton they weren't going anywhere. What if it was a promise he couldn't keep?

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Since Brandon and Cameron complained about the coffee at the hospital earlier, Nicole volunteered to grab drinks for everyone there. After the barista at Java Café took her order, she turned around to see Brady and Kristen walk in. She tried to inconspicuously avoid them, but Brady made eye contact with her. "Great…" she released under her breath. She forced a smile as they walked towards her.

Brady looked over the room before asking Nicole, "Where's your partner in crime?"

Nicole avoided eye contact with Kristen as she informed Brady, "Eric is probably at home. He is on wedding duty this weekend and wants to make sure all of his equipment is ready."

"I didn't mean Eric," Brady clarified. "I was talking about Jack since you're always with him."

Shaking her head, Nicole now turned away from Brady. "Jack is in the office. I took the day off because Theo is in the hospital."

Kristen's face lit up as her thoughts went to Lexie and how she and Peter resigned from DiMera Enterprises earlier. "Theo's in the hospital? Is he okay?" She realized this must have happened after she talked to Jade because Jade never mentioned it to her in the Horton Town Square.

Nicole stepped back. She eyed Kristen because she wondered why Kristen didn't know about Theo since she worked with Lexie. Deciding Kristen wasn't worth any of her brain cells, she shared, "I'd rather not talk to you about it."

Figuring she needed to step away so Brady could get information on Theo, Kristen began to go through her purse in search for her phone. "I just remembered I need to make an important call. You two should catch up." She turned around and headed outside trying to shake the darkness now hovering over her.

Brady impatiently sighed and placed his hands in his pockets. "You'll have to get used to Kristen."

Nicole covered her chest with her arms and questioned, "Has Victor flipped on his stance concerning Kristen?"

"That will probably never happen," Brady responded knowing Nicole already knew the answer.

Going in on Brady, Nicole said, "That must be hard considering you and Kristen are business rivals. How long until you're working for DiMera Enterprises?"

Unamused, Brady told Nicole, "I'm staying at Titan no matter what."

Leaning back, Nicole shook her head at Brady because he really couldn't see the big picture. "I know that if you ever marry Kristen, God forbid, Victor will die before letting Kristen have any claim to Titan again. Titan is way too important for Victor… even more important than family."

Brady leaned in and countered, "He may not have a say in the matter…"

"Nicole Brady…" The barista called out her name to let her know her order was ready.

Nicole turned around and quickly paid before grabbing her rather large order. Brady tried to help her with it, but she told him she had everything covered. Before she could leave, Brady stated, "I heard you took your name off the Foster Parent list because of your attachment to Colton."

Nicole stopped in her tracks and sighed disapprovingly. Wondering if Eric or someone else informed him that she took her name off the list, she turned around to face him. "I really need to deliver these drinks. Good luck with Kristen and Victor."

Brady scratched the side of his face as Nicole walked out of Java Café.

* * *

 _Wednesday, April 13th, 2016_

* * *

With Kimmy Nguyen there to pick him up, Nicole and Eric had to say goodbye to Colton for good. This was definitely a lot harder for them than they anticipated because they had become so attached to the young boy after having him for over a year. There had been talk of adoption on their part, but in the end, Colton was to return to his parents because they had eventually done everything the court asked them to do.

Colton handed the suitcase with all of his stuff to Kimmy before turning to Eric and Nicole. He was happy to live with his parents again, but the idea that he would not see Eric and Nicole bothered him as well. "I'll never forget you two."

Eric and Nicole quickly kneeled down to give him a hug. "We won't forget you either, little man."

Nicole squeezed Colton a little tighter. "Make sure you're happy no matter what," she told him.

When Nicole and Eric stood up again, Kimmy grabbed Colton's hand while giving Eric and Nicole an appreciative smile. Leading Colton to the door, she tried to keep him distracted by saying, "You're going back to your mommy and daddy."

Eric closed the door when Kimmy and Colton left. He turned to see Nicole had allowed herself to really cry now that they were alone. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her into a hug so they could mourn the loss of their foster son together. "This will be really hard," he lamented.

Nicole held onto Eric and shook her head. "We promised Colton we wouldn't forget him, but in the past, I always pushed memories out to forget the people who were no longer a part of my life. I don't know if I can hold onto the memories because they hurt so much right now."

Eric continued to comfort his wife. "I promise we will get through this together."

Unable to think positively, Nicole commented, "I wonder if I'll ever get to experience motherhood in a permanent way."

"It will happen," Eric promised. Tears fell down his face as well.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After visiting with Lexie and her brother for some time, Nicole decided to head home when EJ made an appearance. On her way to the elevator, she ran into Sami, Johnny, Sydney, and Julian. "Hey…" she softly released to the kids. Sami was on the phone talking to someone about a press release and how it looked good.

Putting her phone away, Sami handed Julian's hand to Johnny and said, "Your dad and Lexie are in the room with Theo. You should go say hi to him." The kids listened and headed into Theo's hospital room. "So you've seen Theo?" she asked Nicole.

"Just for a second," Nicole answered. "He's not talking much, but he looks like he's doing okay."

Sami nodded her head and breathed with relief. "That's good to hear." She adjusted her purse over her shoulder before asking, "How are you dealing with it?"

Nicole tried not to dwell on her own emotions and shared, "I know Lexie is going through hell even if Theo seems to be doing okay."

"It's the worst feeling a mother can go through," Sami started. "…feeling powerless like that."

Nicole realized who she was talking to and pulled her car keys out of her purse. "I should head home. Eric and I have a dinner date tonight, and I really should leave before we have another bonding moment."

Sami released a small smile as Nicole walked away. She exhaled deeply before joining the others in Theo's hospital room.

* * *

 _Thursday, July 7th, 2016_

* * *

Nicole sat alone in the penthouse trying to stop herself from crying. Her emotions had seriously gotten the best of her, and she struggled with accomplishing even the smallest tasks. The loss she had experienced within the past year really wore her down.

The front door suddenly opened. Nicole turned her head and was surprised to see who walked in. "Sami? What the hell are you doing here, and why do you have a key?"

Sami put her purse down and boldly shared, "Eric asked me to come over to check on you. He gave me his key because you wouldn't have let me in if I knocked."

Knowing Sami had a point, Nicole sighed and said, "I would have told you to go back to that damn hell mansion you call home." Shaking her head, she wondered aloud, "What makes Eric think that I'd actually talk to you about anything?"

Sami took a seat and crossed her legs. "I asked him the same question, but you know how persistent Eric can be. He knows I'd do anything to help him even if it involves you."

Nicole turned and glared at Sami. "You know I can call security and have you escorted out, right?"

Sami backed off a bit but still called Nicole out. "…but you're still sitting there letting me stay. You _must_ be really lonely." When Nicole turned around without another word, Sami cleared her throat to say something more. "Eric is really worried about you, Nicole, like _really_ worried about you. Looking at you now, I can see why. You look horrible…"

"Thanks?" Nicole released. She eyed her phone in case she needed to call security.

"I mean… I've never seen you look this bad…"

"Are you only here to insult me?" Nicole questioned cutting Sami off.

"Isn't that what we always do when we're around each other?" Sami rhetorically asked. "I mean it's a big part of what makes our relationship so dynamic."

Nicole rolled her eyes and grabbed her cell phone to call security. "I can't take this anymore…"

" _There_ you go again!" Sami exclaimed in a way to show she was pleased with herself.

Turning to face Sami, Nicole was confused. "Excuse me?"

Sami allowed a proud smile to appear on her face. "Eric told me you weren't doing anything – your hair, your makeup, bathing, eating, sleeping, brushing your teeth…"

"Get to your point, Sami!" Nicole impatiently warned.

Still grinning, Sami said, "I arrived maybe two minutes ago, and you've got your phone in your hand threatening me! Eric sent me over because he believed I could get you to do something proactive again because of how much you really can't stand me."

Nicole dropped the phone on her lap and shook her head.

"Are you giving up on me again?" Sami questioned.

Nicole denied it. "No. I really can't stand you, but there's so much more that sucks right now."

Pushing Nicole to say more, Sami asked, "Like what?"

In a daze, Nicole answered, "It's been a year since my mom died, and I keep thinking about how Colton was there… I still wish he could be here."

Sami noted the tears had returned on Nicole's face. She found herself empathizing with Nicole. "Losing children can be very difficult – no matter if they are yours or not."

"Just like Grace," Nicole brought up. "She wasn't really your daughter, but I saw how you mourned her when she died."

Sami remembered that experience all too well. She didn't want to delve into that and simply directed Nicole, "You can't give up. Your life isn't over. You still have Eric and the rest of your lives."

Nicole let Sami's words sink in before turning to Sami again. She gave her a nod to show she heard her and knew she couldn't give up.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable in the moment, Sami quickly stood up and grabbed her purse. Nicole felt the same discomfort, wiped her face, and headed for the door so Sami would leave. Sami stopped for a moment to say one last thing to Nicole. "Oh, and for the record, I really can't stand you either."

Nicole began to laugh as Sami walked out. "Wait…" she stopped Sami from leaving. "I need my key back. There's no way in hell I'm letting you leave with that!"

Sami smiled and handed Nicole the key her twin gave her. "Don't be mad at Eric. He really does love you… you know…"

"I do," Nicole said with a small hopeful smile.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Later that evening, Nicole and Eric went to Chez Rouge for dinner. Things were a bit awkward between them as they ate because they didn't really say much. Eric decided it was best not to bring up Theo or anything related to the hospital because he feared it would bring Nicole down. He broke the silence with something he was dealing with. "I talked to John about my dad today, and he agreed to help in the search."

"Has there been an update on that?" Nicole questioned as she picked at her food.

"No." Eric put down his fork realizing he wasn't all that hungry. "I wish my dad hadn't left Salem and stayed put."

"Yeah…" Nicole wasn't sure what to say, and things got quiet again. Thinking about work, she remembered something they could discuss. "Did you manage to take any photos today for the gallery?"

Eric denied it by simply shaking his head no. He wasn't sure what to talk about so he watched as Nicole continued to play with her food. He wondered if she wasn't hungry either or if she was feeling down about what happened today. Maybe they needed to talk about Theo so she could cheer up. Processing through it could help bring her out of this funk.

Before Eric could speak, Maggie approached their table and asked, "How is everything tonight?"

Nicole sat up straight and answered. "Things are great." She realized she hadn't really eaten much of her food.

Maggie smiled and said, "Let me know if you need anything or if something isn't to your liking," before walking away.

With Maggie gone, Eric and Nicole locked eyes. They realized how horrible they were failing at this date. Taking a sip, Eric remembered something else. "You said you wanted to tell me something tonight. What did you want to tell me?"

Nicole remembered saying that as well. Her body seemed to relax in a good way as a smile formed on her face. "I decided I want to try surrogacy. Are you still okay with that?"

Eric smiled as well. "I am. I want to be a family with you, Nicole. That's all I want."

Nicole's grin grew wider as she told her husband, "I will set an appointment then."


	23. Dario DiMera and Jackson Kiriakis

**Chapter 23: Dario DiMera and Jackson Kiriakis – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

 **A** t The Chill, Dario was working with Josh and Will in the studio with a local band. While recording another take, Josh lightly rubbed his stomach and shared, "I am starving."

Will, who was focused on the sound board, asked, "What should we do for lunch?"

"I don't have a preference," Josh replied. "I'm up for whatever."

Glancing at the time, Dario suggested, "I need to talk to my sister, so I can pick up lunch if you two are cool with food from the pub or somewhere close to it."

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Will shared without looking at the others. He was focused on what was happening in front of him.

Josh agreed so Dario stood up and pulled out his phone. "Tell me what you want, and I'll call it in on my way over."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Friday, November 7th, 2014_

* * *

After witnessing Dario's abduction on the pier, Sonny rushed over to the Kiriakis mansion. Making his way inside, he found Victor and Maggie in the living room. Both were surprised to see him because they didn't even know he had left.

"Sonny, did someone take you?" Victor asked with a great fury burning inside of him.

Sonny quickly denied it but noted something was definitely off about his great-uncle. "I was on the pier to meet with Dario when Dario was taken in front of me. I recognized some of the men who took him… You need to release him now, Uncle Victor!"

Victor turned his back on Sonny and looked at his phone screen. He didn't have time to deal with these questions.

Victor's silence only made Sonny worry more. "I know you want Dario out of my life, but you can't keep this up."

Maggie's concern increased as well. "Victor, what have you done? Who did you call, and what did you ask them to do?"

Victor did not want to tell Maggie or Sonny anything. He simply shared, "I'm doing what I need to protect the family."

Sonny looked to Maggie and realized there was more going on. "Is Dario the only person you took hostage tonight?"

Victor didn't respond right away, so Maggie pushed. "Talk Victor. What have you done?"

Turning around to face Sonny, Victor defensively informed him. "Brady was taken in front of the Brady Pub, and I'm only insuring that he comes home safely." When his phone began to ring, Victor announced, "I need to take this." He left the room immediately.

Unsure of what to do, Sonny turned to Maggie and retorted, "I love my great-uncle, but I hate the way he _handles_ all of us."

To assure Sonny and herself, Maggie placed her hands on Sonny's arms and promised, "I will try to talk to him."

Sonny showed great doubt on his face. "I can't lose Dario again." He really hoped Victor didn't or wasn't planning on doing something drastic.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

In the present, Sonny was having brunch with his parents at JoJo's Southern Steakhouse. "So how is work?" Adrienne asked intentionally to get her son to talk. She noted something was off about him as soon as she saw him.

Sonny shrugged his shoulders before leaning into the table. He wanted to discuss something important with his parents and had been quiet because he wanted to approach this without causing any problems. "I have nothing new to report, but I believe you two do."

Justin traded a confused glance with his wife. "What are you talking about, Sonny? What do you think we're keeping from you?"

Deciding to just come out with it, Sonny questioned, "What do you know about Victor's health? I want to know what you're not telling me since you seemed a bit suspicious two nights ago at dinner."

Adrienne scratched the top of her head as she took on her son's accusation. "Sonny, your dad and I really don't know anything about Victor's health since we don't live at the Kiriakis mansion. We haven't lived there for almost two years now."

Sonny thought back to their conversation at the Penthouse Grille. "I never told you that Victor was at the hospital two days ago, but somehow you already knew. That's why I feel like you're keeping something from me."

Relaxing her hands on the redwood table, Adrienne traded a glance with her husband before explaining, "The reason I knew about Victor being at the hospital is because I talked to Maggie about visiting you to congratulate you on another year. Maggie promised me she would get Victor up there and yes, maybe she did mention an appointment, but that is all I know."

Completely embarrassed, Sonny looked down because he really got a tad paranoid there. "Sorry," he sincerely apologized. "I keep thinking about how Uncle Victor collapsed in the beginning of the year and didn't tell anyone for as long as he could."

Clasping his hands on the table, Justin suggested, "You should try talking to Brady. He may know something." Sonny was clearly in his head on what he should do.

Sonny scratched his arm and considered his father's suggestion. "Brady and I aren't really talking… though he did stop by the hospital to congratulate me on another year of not making any monumental mistakes."

Delicately nudging Sonny, Adrienne reminded him, "I hate when you do that." She then commented, "I don't understand how Brady can be with Kristen and hold this against you for so long."

To ease his mother before she allowed her concern to intensify, Sonny stated, "I'm fine, but I really am worried about Victor." Raising his glass of water, Sonny considered just confronting his great-uncle and forcing him to be straight with him. He then pondered the possibility that Maggie was the one with the appointment. There was so much he needed to figure out.

* * *

 _Friday, November 7th, 2014_

* * *

After being released by Victor's men, EJ, Dario, Chad, Sami, Will, his siblings, and Theo arrived to the DiMera mansion, where Lexie and Kristen were waiting for them. Sami had Mary take the kids upstairs so they could decide what their next move was. "Someone needs to pay for what happened tonight!" she fiercely exclaimed. She flashed back to when she and EJ were taken by Victor's men; she pushed the button on her phone which then sent a signal to Eric to alert him that she and EJ were in danger. Thankfully, he managed to track them down. Even if they got out safely, she was out for blood.

Lexie and Kristen looked at each other knowing they needed to keep the peace and end this now. "We can't do anything to retaliate," Lexie quickly reiterated. "I'm upset at what happened as well, but we need to end this now. We can't continue this war!"

Sami turned on Kristen wanting to point the finger at her. "There's no way in hell Kristen should get a pass for stirring the pot to begin with. You should be held responsible." Pointing to her and EJ's portrait, which replaced Stefano's picture, she continued to raise her voice, "Stefano is not here to protect you anymore! EJ and I run things now!"

Lexie moved in between Kristen and Sami and vouched for her step-sister. "Kristen helped make sure Peter backed down. This is all over because of her."

Not wanting to take all the credit, Kristen carefully shared, "Lexie and Jen helped as well."

Since they arrived, EJ was deep in thought processing everything everyone was saying. With his hand on his chin, he finally broke his silence. "All of that is great, but now we have to deal with the Victor issue. Victor has officially declared war, and with Brady's life threatened and all of our lives threatened, the fix will not come so easily."

Crossing over to EJ, Kristen declared, "Brady and I have everything covered. Victor will be forced to drop this because while his men were kidnapping all of you, Peter's wife actually got hurt and had to be rushed to the hospital with Ezra, Brandon, and Cameron. And we know Bo and Hope are going to give him hell for involving Ciara in all of this."

EJ shook his head. "It won't be that easy because Victor still needs to pay." He realized Kristen was most likely there to keep him in line while Brady worked on Victor.

Lexie now crossed over to EJ and placed her hand on his back. "EJ, trust me. I know how upset you are because if something had happened to Theo…" She closed her eyes and stopped because she didn't want to go there. "We need to take a vote on our next move. We should do this as a family. This doesn't have to fall on you."

EJ turned to the others in the room. He noted the looks from Chad, Will, Dario, Sami, Lexie, and Kristen. Maybe Lexie was right.

Hearing the front door suddenly open, Dario turned to see Sonny standing in the foyer. He quickly rushed over and gave Sonny a hug. "You're… You're okay."

Separating from Dario, Sonny looked him over and asked, "Is everything okay? Were you hurt at all?"

Dario rubbed his arms and said, "I'm fine, but I'm not sure if everything will work out."

EJ entered the foyer interrupting their moment. "It's great to see you two together again, but I need you to leave for now, Sonny. I fear something will happen to us with you on DiMera property."

Dario immediately took Sonny's pinky and turned to EJ. "I don't want Sonny to go." He had waited too long for this.

Sonny let go of Dario's pinky though and took a step back. "I'll go. It's okay." When Dario turned to face him, he said, "EJ's right. We'll talk later." He gave Dario another hug before leaving.

Uncertain of Sonny's distance, Dario turned to EJ and impatiently asked, "So what did you decide?"

EJ motioned Dario to come back into the main room. "We are taking a vote now on what we want to do regarding Victor."

Wishing he could have had more time with Sonny, Dario stated, "You should already know my vote. I can't add to the present complications between me and Sonny. I can't go to war with his great-uncle."

EJ nodded his head to show he heard Dario as they walked into the main room once more. "We should take a vote on how we shall move on as a family."

After everyone said their piece, the majority chose to drop things with Victor so they could all move forward. Though she was annoyed things didn't go her way, Sami needed to say one last thing. "We still need to do something to make sure this doesn't happen again. We need to hire a new head of security we can trust. Marco has been gone long enough."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Arriving to the pub to pick up lunch, Dario spotted Andrew leaving a table. He rushed over to catch up to him. "Hey… Andrew… my sister in?"

Andrew pointed towards the back when Gabi came out. She walked over and gave Dario a warm hug before telling him, "Your order is almost ready."

Dario gave Gabi a small nod before saying, "I'm glad the both of you are here because I wanted to check in with you two about the catering for this weekend. Is Caroline still able to help out?"

With a smile, Andrew said, "Don't worry because my grandma is determined to help us this weekend with the food."

Dario was happy to hear that. "I really want to make sure this weekend goes perfectly."

Safiya and her brother, Qamar, entered the pub to grab lunch. When they saw Dario, they walked over to say hi. "Are you sticking around for lunch?"

Slightly turning his body so he could look at Safiya, Dario answered, "Actually, I'm taking food back to The Chill."

Grabbing a couple of menus, Andrew stepped in and asked, "Are you two staying for lunch?"

Safiya put her arm around her younger half-brother and gloated, "We are. I have the best brother in the world because he decided to take me out to celebrate my recent success."

Qamar blushed because everyone was looking at him. To play off Safiya's praise, he said, "What can I say? My sister is a star."

With a smile, Andrew directed, "Well you can sit where you want, and I will take your order." He followed Qamar and Safiya to a table.

Now alone, Gabi audibly sighed and asked her brother, "Have you talked to Manny and Arianna recently?"

"I have," Dario shared adding, "…but there are still no updates on Gustavo." Checking the time, he changed the subject. "So are you still meeting with Justin tomorrow?"

Gabi raised her eyebrows and admitted, "I'm trying not to think about it because I don't know what will happen."

Shaking his head, Dario frustratingly released, "I wish Kinsey didn't pop up again only to screw you over once more."

With another sigh, Gabi released, "This would have happened anyway." Wanting to avoid any more talk on this particular subject, she decided, "I'll go check on your order to see if it's ready." She turned around and followed Andrew to the back.

Dario recognized his sister was trying to escape the anxiety of her situation. He turned around and saw Safiya laughing with her brother. He waved at them one more time before looking at the time again. Thinking about everything happening around him, he wondered if anything had changed for anyone since everyone was back to old habits.

* * *

 _Monday, November 24th, 2014_

* * *

After turning in a paper at Salem University, Dario arrived to the hospital hoping to find Sonny there since they hadn't really talked since that night he and the others were taken by Victor's men. He spotted Sonny talking to Nathan near the nurses' station. When he approached them, Nathan quickly dismissed himself to give them some time to talk alone. "I heard you got your internship at the hospital back."

Trying to get over the shock of Dario being there, Sonny replied, "It's a work in progress."

Dario couldn't help but note a nervousness in Sonny and began to feel the same way. Maybe there was a reason they hadn't talked much. "So… Thanksgiving is coming up. Do you have plans, Jackson Kiriakis?"

"I decided to take a year off on having it at my place," Sonny admitted. He thought about how stressful it was for him last year.

Dario's face lit up. "Does that mean you're back at your place then?"

Shaking his head, Sonny informed Dario, "I'm slowly moving out of my great-uncle's mansion to live on my own again. I plan to move out completely in the beginning of the year." He thought about how weird it would be without Will living with him.

Dario smiled and quickly stated, "I have a better idea. I think you should move in with me at my place."

Giving Dario an uneasy look, Sonny answered, "I can't do that."

"Why not?"

Sonny rubbed his arm and shared, "I want to take things slow. I want to make sure I do things right with you because I don't want to lose _this_ again." Dario seemed confused. Recognizing they weren't in a place where they could talk freely, Sonny said, "Follow me." He led Dario somewhere else so they could discuss this privately.

Once they were alone, Sonny cleared his throat before starting again, "The first time we hooked up was in your old apartment…"

"Why are you bringing this up?" Dario interrupted. The confusion on his face increased.

Sonny skipped ahead and shared, "In treatment, I realized what brought me down for so long… or I realized once again… whatever… The point is, I realized I used sex as a coping mechanism of some sort."

Thinking about what happened in his old apartment when he first met Sonny, Dario observed, "I used you that night, and I am deeply sorry for how I treated you."

Shaking his head, Sonny quickly said, "Don't do that for me because I need to be open about everything with you."

Dario apologized again and directed, "I'll let you talk."

Sonny went on as he adamantly declared, "It makes sense I guess because you were finding yourself, but our relationship has been so focused on sex."

Even though he promised to let Sonny talk, Dario couldn't help but cut him off again. "That's not true," he asserted. "Don't you remember when we were on the DiMera yacht in that bed together? We weren't a couple then, but we held hands… remember? Our relationship is more than just sex."

Sonny suddenly looked down as he tried to collect his thoughts. "I recognize that, Dario," he released. "…but I also recognize that maybe… maybe I would have tried to do more if the others weren't in the room with us."

Dario immediately disagreed. "I don't think so. You're wrong."

Exhaling deeply, Sonny acknowledged, "You're right, but that was then – before everything truly got messed up between us – before things got messed up with me."

Even though Sonny wasn't looking at him, Dario still watched him with deep sadness. "I wish I could change all the ways I screwed things up." This was not the reunion he was expecting even after Sonny left him at the DiMera mansion the last time they saw each other.

Attempting to refocus on the conversation he wanted to have with Dario, Sonny maintained, "This isn't all about that really because we made our peace about everything before your mom died. I was the one who walked away from you afterwards." He scratched his shoulder before confessing, "I told Will and my parents that I was okay when you didn't show up for my release because I wanted some space from you due to some of my decisions I made about our relationship while I was in The Meadows."

"About our relationship being about sex…" Dario softly repeated to show Sonny he was tracking what he was saying.

With a simple nod, Sonny reiterated, "I know our relationship wasn't always and only about sex, but I still want to be careful moving forward." Dropping his hand to his side, he explained, "I hooked up with Nicholas to escape the pain I caused myself and you when I pushed you away in the morgue. I didn't fully understand what was happening until too much time had passed." He reflected on the shame he felt before he ended things with Nicholas and then focused on how he actually slept with Nicholas one last time because they were ending things. "I feel like such a failure."

Noting a shift in Sonny's tone, Dario encouraged, "Don't get lost in the past again."

Sonny knew Dario was right and took a few breaths to return to the present. "Like I said, I just want to be open about everything with you so you can see where I'm coming from in all of this. Remember in Urbino when you asked me if I was bothered by the fact that I slept with Nicholas and Mat?" Dario nodded his head, so Sonny continued, "At the time I deflected, but, honestly, it bothered me a lot. It also bugged me that I was so quick to sleep with you that night even though I really wanted to be with you."

This was really hurting Dario to hear all this, but he wanted to make sure he continued to give Sonny the space to be honest. He remained quiet.

Sonny breathed, "Eventually, I pushed all that guilt and shame to the back of my mind and began to use sex to keep myself and you distracted from what was really happening. There was the camping trip after Billie and Frankie's wedding. There was the time we went to Mexico and you found me on the beach; then the Spring hiking trip with all the guys. Let's not forget how I made you disregard your concern over my wanting to end counseling with Diego prematurely by simply teasing the idea of sex before my first stint at The Meadows."

Unable to escape his worry now, Dario checked in with Sonny. "Are you still okay to talk about all this now?"

"I'm fine," Sonny assured. "My treatment this last go around was different. I made so much progress away from everything, and I don't want to lose that now."

"I don't want you to lose that either," Dario maintained. He thought about everything Sonny had shared and decided he wanted to make sure he understood where they stood in their relationship at this point. "It seems you do want to be with me though."

"I do," Sonny confirmed. "I just want to be sure we don't fall into old habits."

With an understanding smile, Dario replied, "That makes sense. I won't pressure you, and I will support you no matter how long you need." Sex didn't really matter to him; only Sonny mattered.

Sonny began to scratch his shoulder once more. "Are you willing to wait until marriage?" Realizing the question he just asked, he swiftly added, " _If_ we get married." Before Dario could answer, he decided to rationalize why he wanted to wait until then. "In treatment, I decided I want to remain abstinent until I marry someone to show myself and everyone that I am committed to being a healthier person who does not use sex to escape stress and depression."

Noting Sonny was feeling nervous about all of this, Dario affirmed, "I'm willing to wait for whenever that comes." He recalled how he recognized they had an issue with sex when he found Sonny in his vomit in the bathroom floor of his apartment. "This is weird territory, but this could be good for me, too, spiritually."

"What do you mean?" Sonny wondered before reminding Dario, "I'm not religious."

Dario placed his hands in his pockets and shared, "The church preaches sex should come after marriage. Maybe this is something we can do together, so we can build on a better – a healthier connection."

Sonny immediately smiled at Dario. He wanted to tell him he loved him but he held off. Instead, he said, "That sounds wonderful."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Sonny arrived for his shift at Salem University Hospital to find Chad and Celeste together. He caught on that they were discussing Theo and couldn't believe that Theo had a seizure. After greeting them, he shared, "I hope everything shows up in the clear for Theo."

Without a doubt, Celeste replied, "I know they will once I have a chance to talk to Theo. I know this isn't a medical issue – it's psychological."

Wanting to know more, Sonny asked, "What do you mean?"

Celeste placed her hands on her hips and disclosed, "Theo has a gift he does not want to accept. Suppressing this gift is the cause of these issues now. It is all catching up to him, which makes me wonder if something big is coming."

Sonny wasn't sure what to think so he turned to Chad.

Chad caught on that Sonny wasn't sure this was real so he backed Celeste up by explaining, "Theo knows when something will happen – good or bad – and wishes he didn't."

"I have a hypothetical question for you," Sonny marveled. With his focus on Celeste, he questioned, "If I was curious about my great-uncle's health, could I ask Theo if there was something wrong or not?"

A sudden uncertainty filled Celeste. She was now curious about Sonny's hypothetical question. "You could ask Theo. Is Victor truly sick?"

Sonny felt a discomfort as he answered, "I'm not sure." Though he was intrigued by this gift that Theo supposedly possessed, he noticed the time on the clock. "I need to get to work. I will see you later."

* * *

 _Friday, January 16th, 2015_

* * *

At the Kiriakis mansion, Dario came over to help Sonny grab the last of his things. Holding a medium-sized cardboard box, he began his trek down the stairs when Victor entered the mansion through the front door. "Victor…" He hoped he could avoid running into Sonny's great-uncle.

Victor immediately glared at Dario and questioned, "Who the hell let you in? I gave my men specific instruction not to let a DiMera onto the premises."

Fortunately for Dario, Sonny appeared at the top of the stairs and answered, "I let Dario in because I needed help grabbing the rest of my things." He had the last box of stuff in his hands.

Victor didn't hide his disappointment; he saw this as an additional act of defiance because Sonny could have asked anyone else to help him move his stuff out of the mansion. As Sonny and Dario made their way to the foot of the stairs, he verbally attacked his great-nephew. "You are an idiot for going through with this move."

With a patient sigh, Sonny didn't want to get into it with Victor again. "I'm only moving back to my place – the place I shared with Will," he reminded his great-uncle."

"Is André DiMera's spawn joining you this time?" Victor quickly questioned.

Dario adjusted his grasp on the box in his arms and interjected, "I have my own place."

"I wasn't talking to you," Victor quipped while keeping his attention on Sonny.

Brady walked into the foyer; he noted Sonny and Dario were holding boxes. "What's going on here?" he questioned as he glanced over to Victor. His grandfather clearly had an unimpressed and stern look upon his face.

Since Victor was still staring him down, Sonny decided to respond to Brady. "Victor is mad at me for moving out."

Brady turned around to head into the living room. Though he enjoyed a challenge from time to time, he chose to walk away. "I'm staying out of this," he aptly decided.

"Stick around Brady," Victor swiftly directed his grandson. "You'll want to hear what I have to say." Once Brady reluctantly stopped and turned around, Victor continued to lay into Sonny. "Though you're not moving in with Dario, I am still disappointed because you have turned your back on the family by having anything to do with the DiMeras. I can't believe you are doing this after I helped you get your internship back at the hospital."

Believing Victor was also taking a dig at him due to his relationship with Kristen, Brady rudely argued, "I don't want to get lumped into this mess, grandfather. You do not want to go there – trust me. I haven't done anything like Sonny. I'm not selfish like him."

Though Brady's words offended him, Sonny bit his tongue and turned to Brady. "I told you I am sorry about all of that," he attempted to apologize once more.

Before Sonny could say more, Victor proclaimed, "Brady was right. I gave in to you too much and made things too easy for you by manipulating and uprooting people to make sure they did not impact your life. I know it was a mistake because now everything around you is falling apart."

Knowing Sonny didn't need to hear this, Dario stood up to Victor. "Stop this. Sonny has been through too much as it is."

Victor took a step back and finally turned to talk to Dario; he saw an opportunity. "Tell me, Dario, have you recovered from the hell Sonny put you through?"

Victor's question cut Sonny deeply. Clearly hurt, he quipped, "Dario, you don't have to fight my battles." Turning to his great-uncle, he stated, "You are way off base because I didn't ask you for your help."

Unimpressed, Victor countered, "That's what family is for, but I'm starting to realize my family does not have my back. You and Brady will be the reason this family does not survive."

Reading between the lines, Sonny glanced over to Brady before returning his attention to Victor. "There's more going on here that I'm not aware of. What is it this time? What don't I know?"

Even with Sonny's genuine concern, Victor dusted off his hands and said, "I have nothing left to say to you since you're moving out." He turned and exited the foyer.

Turning to Brady, Sonny tried to get answers from him. "What don't I know? How am I destroying the family?"

Brady now gave Sonny a look of judgment. He hated that Victor was set on piling him in with Sonny. "Just let it go," he instructed. "The damage has already been done, and there's no point in rehashing it."

After Brady headed up the stairs, Dario adjusted the box over to one side so he could grab Sonny's arm. "Let's go, Jackson."

Clouded by what just happened, Sonny nodded his head and let Dario lead him out of the Kiriakis mansion.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After checking in with Maxine about a patient, Sonny ran into Brady and Kristen in the hallway; Kristen had told Brady she wanted to go to the hospital after Nicole informed them about Theo. Trying to be civil with them, Sonny greeted them kindly. "Hey you two."

Kristen noted the tension between Sonny and Brady and realized she never questioned why the animosity between them existed. Recognizing this wasn't the time or place, she rested her hand on Brady's back and said, "I will look for Lexie alone since EJ doesn't want to talk to me. I hope Lexie doesn't push me out because of business."

With Kristen gone, Sonny scratched his arm as he mentally told himself to relax because he had this under control. Dropping his hand, he spoke with confidence, "Thanks again for coming up here the other day to congratulate me. How is Titan doing?"

"Business is business," Brady minimally responded.

Brady was set to walk off to find Kristen, but Sonny stopped him before he could. "I have another question for you," he announced. When Brady remained still, Sonny came out with it. "Do you know what's going on with Victor? Is he sick?"

Brady didn't care to talk to Sonny – especially about Victor. "I don't really have time for this. You should talk to Victor if you want to know." Though he was now curious about his grandfather's health, he attempted to walk away again.

"Brady!" Sonny called out to his second-cousin. He couldn't take this disrespect anymore. "Do you even care about me? We are family."

Brady turned around and harshly stomped closer with his finger pointed towards Sonny. "I congratulated you on Tuesday, didn't I? You just thanked me."

Sonny didn't want to fight, but he also wanted this out in the open. "The words came out of your mouth, but you didn't really mean them."

Annoyed, Brady harshly replied, "Screw yourself! You got what you wanted in the end and got out. Leave everyone else alone, so we can try to do the same." He finally walked away leaving Sonny to wonder if things would always be this way.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Wednesday, May 4th, 2016_

* * *

In the kitchen of his mansion, Dario now saw the love Sonny had for him. He bit his lip for a second before admitting, "I want you to move in with me." His attention turned to the hand he was holding as he continued, "And though this isn't exactly how I planned it…"

"Planned what?" Sonny wondered out loud.

Returning his gaze to Sonny's eyes, Dario continued to hold Sonny's hand making sure their pinkies were locked as he dropped onto one knee. With his free hand, he pulled out a ring and asked, "Jackson Steven Kiriakis, will you marry me?"

Sonny covered his mouth with his right hand as his eyes began to water. He was in complete shock. After a moment that seemed rather long, Sonny finally answered, "Yes, Dario. I will marry you."

Dario pulled himself up and began to kiss Sonny because he was so happy. With the way Sonny pulled him closer, he could tell Sonny felt the same. Dario rested his hands on his now fiancé's hips before allowing them to wander. The heat surrounding them was explosive and Dario craved so much more. Breaking from Sonny's lips for a moment, he couldn't help himself when he suggested, "I think we should take this upstairs."

Closing his eyes to escape the temptation before him, Sonny placed his hand on Dario's chest, which felt very firm, to put their heated exchange to a stop. "I still want to wait," he announced before reopening his eyes.

Though he was a tad disappointed that Sonny still wanted to wait on sex, Dario didn't put up a fight. "Can we just hold each other for a bit and take in the good news?"

Through a smile, Sonny agreed removing his hand from Dario. "We should go out and look at the stars."

"I'm game," Dario gladly agreed before kissing Sonny again.

Noticing how Dario seemed to move past the awkwardness rather quickly, Sonny followed Dario to a closet where he kept extra blankets. After choosing one to lay out on, they headed towards the back door. "Dario…" Sonny swallowed hard because he did not want to ruin this moment between them. "I'm sorry for wanting to wait until we're married."

Dario stopped in front of the rear exit of his – no, their – mansion. "Sonny, you don't have to keep apologizing because we're in this together. We are now a step closer."

Sonny allowed a small smile to appear on his face. In the back of his mind, he considered the possibility that Dario only proposed so they could have sex, but when he deeply looked into Dario's eyes, he knew better. Giving Dario a short and sweet kiss, he grabbed his pinky and said, "I hope the night sky is clear enough for us to star gaze."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Back at The Chill, Dario was looking at his engagement ring before returning to the food he brought from the pub. He was very happy.

"Dario, are you still with us?" Will questioned breaking into Dario's thoughts. "I asked you a question. Did you hear me?"

Dario looked up to Will realizing he got lost day dreaming about his future with Sonny. "Sorry," he released grabbing his shoulder. "I just can't wait to marry Sonny."

Josh playfully raised his eyes at Dario and joked, "It's not all it's cracked up to be."

Feeling rather stressed about everything, Will turned to Josh and complained, "Even if you're joking, don't say that. Before, Dario and I couldn't even legally marry our boyfriends."

"I know," Josh apologetically said to appease Will. "I was only messing with you." He looked to Dario. He recognized Will was on edge and wondered if it was connected to Theo being rushed to the hospital.

Noting the time, Will picked up a fry and announced, "We need to finish eating soon because we have one more hour of recording for the day."

Dario decided he was done and put his food away. "I want to call Sonny before we start."

"You have ten minutes," Will said before placing the fry in his mouth. He then remembered what he asked Dario when Dario spaced out. Covering his mouth since he was in mid chew, he said, "Oh, I need you to make sure you call the musicians to verify they will be here for Safiya next week."

"I'll get it done," Dario promised. He really needed a break from Will's bossiness. Heading upstairs, he pulled out his phone and told Siri to call his fiancé. Luckily, Sonny was available to take his call. "Hey Sonny. I am really missing you right now especially with Will going absolutely bossy bitch at work today."

Sonny chuckled and commented, "If it's happening to Will before the wedding, is there any hope for us?"

Dario smiled because Sonny made him focus on their wedding. "We'll be fine, Sonny. Our wedding will be stress free. I think Will is struggling because he was gone for so long, and now that he's back, he will turn around and leave again."

"You're probably right," Sonny agreed. "I really want to see you."

Dario wanted nothing more. "I hate that you're working a later shift, but I promise I will have dinner ready for you when you get off." He remembered he had a quiz to take by midnight as well.

"I want to eat outside since it's a clear night," Sonny shared. "The stars will be out."

"We'll have a late-night picnic then," Dario said with a smile on his face. Playing with his right pinky, he beamed, "I love you, Jackson."

"I love you," Sonny echoed clearly enamored.


	24. Katherine Roberts

**Chapter 24: Katherine Roberts – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

 **T** easing a strand of her blue hair, Kate looked at it and decided it was time for a hair appointment before the wedding; she figured tomorrow would be the perfect time to get it done. When Lucas walked into her office at Hearth & Home, Kate threw her hair back and greeted her son, "Great. You're here."

Lucas moved over and took a seat in the wooden framed chair across from his mother. "Am I the first to arrive?"

Kate put up an important client's file and answered, "You are. Philip should be here soon."

Opening up his leather briefcase, Lucas began to look through some of the paperwork he brought to discuss in this meeting. "Well, I've got good news to share when Philip arrives."

"That's great," Kate replied noting Lucas seemed annoyed by his brother's tardiness. She leaned forward on her desk and changed the subject. "Are you ready for this weekend's festivities?"

Taking a deep breath, Lucas eagerly shared, "I'm more than excited."

"It would be great if everything went smoothly, and we had an actual drama-free wedding," Kate proclaimed.

Lucas raised his eyes, anxiously sighed, and knocked on his mother's wooden desk. "That would be a miracle," he acknowledged when his phone chimed. He received a text message from his wife, Sophie. When he unlocked his phone, he smiled as he read it in his head: " _I love you_." He quickly responded: "I love you. Have a great day at school today."

Philip entered the room and announced, "Let's get to business." He took a seat as Kate opened her agenda. "So what's first?"

Kate and Lucas quickly picked up on the fact that Philip was not in the mood for small talk this morning. She looked up from her planner and said. "Lucas has good news." She turned to Lucas to give him the floor. As Lucas began to talk about how they had another record breaking quarter, Kate glanced between both of her sons and thought about how things were finally coming together for her family.

* * *

 _Monday, September 15th, 2014_

* * *

Kate arrived to the Kiriakis mansion in time to hear Philip and Victor arguing in the living room about Philip's betrayal to the family. She rushed into the room to hear Victor conclude, "I have thought long and hard about this, and I've decided you do not have a place at Titan anymore. I need you out of the mansion."

Noting the look on Philip's face, Kate stepped in for him. "You need to rethink this decision," she pleaded with Victor.

Victor was surprised to see Kate. Giving her his attention, he shared, "Philip doesn't want to be a part of Titan or the family."

Kate turned to Philip and said, "Say something. You still want to be a part of this family."

Philip didn't say a word. His pride kept him from begging for his father's forgiveness and from even trying to fix this situation he found himself in. "If you want me out and gone, then that's fine with me."

Victor shook his head and left the room.

Moving to her son's side, Kate said, "I heard about what you did when I ran into Justin in the town square. He told me I should come here to talk to you and your father. Why did you sell your shares to Delphi Blakelee?" She really needed him to open up about everything that happened. Maybe there was a way she could help him.

Philip thought about how it was Justin who uncovered the fact that he signed over his shares to Delphi. He ran his hand through his hair figuring he could talk to his mom about everything. "Honestly, I didn't even remember doing it until Justin brought it to my attention. The memories just came flooding back. I was at a low point in my life. I had lost Parker and Chloe and started thinking about the baby Mimi and I gave up… then came the memories of how Claire ended up being Shawn's and not mine." Shaking his head, he could remember how depressed he really was back then. "I was questioning my life and where I was a lot. I felt ashamed and embarrassed that I didn't have what I thought I would at this point. I let Delphi feed me drink after drink until I was drunk. She tore me down, and that's when I signed my share of Titan over to her."

Kate could tell Philip regretted what happened, but she also noted he seemed okay with the change in his life. He almost seemed relieved. "Are you done with the business world?"

Philip scratched his forehead and admitted, "I'm not sure what I'll do now."

Taking his hand, Kate pushed, "You should work with me and Lucas at Hearth & Home. We will find another place to live for the time being, and I will help you find yourself. You don't have to stay at Hearth & Home if you find what you're looking for elsewhere."

A part of Philip was tired of being rescued by his parents, but there was something else about his mother's offer that caught his attention. He let go of Kate's hand and placed his hands on her shoulders. Relaxing his knees so he could look at her level, he questioned, "Are you okay, mom?"

Kate smiled and said, "I have recently gone through some changes where I can finally get what I want in life, and I'm going for it. I want the same for you. I want to help you through this."

* * *

 _Friday, September 19th, 2014_

* * *

At Lucas's three-story house, Kate sat around the dinner table with Lucas, Allie, Will, and Sophie. When everyone was close to finished, Kate announced, "Philip and I have managed to find a new apartment in Horton Town Square to live."

Out of the loop, Will wondered, "What happened with you two living at the Kiriakis mansion?"

"Philip and I needed a change and some independence," Kate explained away. "The Kiriakis mansion felt a bit crowded with Melissa and Sarah living there as well."

Will turned to his dad and could see he didn't seem to buy Kate's explanation. He didn't buy it either; it was the Kiriakis mansion, which had more than enough space for everyone who lived there.

Since everyone seemed done with dinner, Sophie stood up and began to clear the dishes on the table. "I'll clean these up."

"I'll help you," Lucas decided.

When Lucas followed Sophie out with the dishes, Allie went over to Kate and asked, "Do you have any new makeup in your purse?"

Kate smiled at her granddaughter and handed her purse to her. "Have at it."

"Thanks grandma."

With Allie distracted, Kate turned to Will. "How are things going for you and Chad?"

Will grabbed the back of his neck and answered, "We are okay – though we are dealing with Peter, Kristen, and Victor drama. I hope it all dies down soon so we can just worry about life. We're almost done with our home."

Kate's thoughts went to what happened with Philip and Victor. She doubted it would die down because of how Victor treated his own son. Deciding not to go there, she wanted her grandson to focus on his future. "How's your senior year in college going?"

Will dropped his hand. "It's weird that I'm almost done with school. I'm making the most of it, and I'm happy I already have my career started. I'm definitely going to miss seeing all of my Kappa brothers when it's all over." His thoughts went to Sonny hoping he was okay.

"I hope you never lose that," Kate encouraged before expounding, "I hope you always move forward."

Studying his grandmother, Will noted aloud, "There's something different about you…" Though Kate had her grandmotherly moments with him prior to this conversation, she almost sounded too much like his grandmother Marlena. Before he could continue sharing his thoughts, his phone began to ring. Looking at the flashing screen, he excused himself to take it in the other room when he saw it was Sami.

With Will out of the room, Kate thought about how everything was a mess. She needed to do whatever she could to make sure her family survived whatever was coming. Turning her attention to her granddaughter, she grinned because she was so into makeup. "Allie, you're the future of my business."

Lucas returned from the kitchen and stood next to his mother. "I'm glad we have a moment alone to talk about you and Philip moving out of the Kiriakis mansion."

Kate eyed Allie, who was still mesmerized with the makeup in her purse. She shared, "Philip has officially decided to join Hearth & Home, so we will be able to grow even more."

Unable to help himself, Lucas shared, "I am skeptical of Philip joining us because of his careless mistake at Titan. Don't get me wrong, I am incredibly relieved you two are out of the Kiriakis mansion with what's happening there." He wished he could convince Maggie, Sarah, and Melissa to do the same.

"I promise nothing like that will happen," Kate released catching her son's eyes. "I know you will be sure of that."

Allie pulled out a tube of lipstick and requested, "Can I show this to Sophie?"

Lucas allowed it and sighed because he wasn't ready for Allie to be obsessed with makeup but knew it would be inevitable. When she headed into the kitchen, Lucas complained, "I asked you not to let her go through your purse. The last thing I want is to have Allie come home with blue hair."

Kate laughed off Lucas's fear and decided to discuss something related to his daughter. "Allie seems to be connecting well with Sophie."

Allowing the subject change, Lucas finally took a seat. "I'm fortunate Sophie is so good with kids and that she really is a loving person."

With a nod, Kate replied, "That's all I ever wanted for you. I'm glad you finally found it."

Raising his eyes, Lucas admitted, "I'm glad I finally found it."

Kate suddenly got more serious with Lucas. "I always tried to give you the best in life and sometimes my involvement only made things worse for you."

Trying to dismiss his mother's transgression, Lucas mentioned, "That is in the past, and we have been able to work together without too much drama recently. Remember, you're the one who helped me with Will's coming out. Even though others, including myself, have doubted your character, I know that you will always be in my corner."

Kate couldn't help but pull Lucas into a hug. "I am so lucky."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After meeting with Philip and Lucas, Kate's phone began to ring. It was one of her exes. Skipping any type of formal greeting, she answered, "I already gave you an answer Victor. I still don't want to sell Hearth & Home to you and Titan. We are doing well on our own."

"Can we meet later tonight?" Victor moved on. "I need to talk to you about something else."

Noting the tone of Victor's voice, Kate couldn't help but realize he wanted to talk to her about something serious. "What's going on, Victor?"

"Not over the phone," Victor quickly maintained.

Kate looked at her schedule and remembered Rex and Cassie were in town tonight. They planned to have dinner since they were staying in her apartment while they were in town. "I'll be at your place tonight after dinner," she decided.

Victor was satisfied. "I will see you tonight."

After Victor ended the call, Kate put her phone on her desk. She wondered what Victor needed to talk to her about. Looking at her phone again, she decided to call Will, but he did not answer. She figured he was working and would try to call him later.

Placing her phone back on the desk, she picked up a photo of Billie and Chelsea. It was taken during Billie and Frankie's wedding. She smiled.

* * *

 _Thursday, November 27th, 2014_

* * *

For Thanksgiving 2014, Kate traveled with Chelsea to Paris to visit Frankie and Billie. They were enjoying some time out on the balcony when Frankie shared, "Max called me earlier."

Realizing she hadn't seen Max since she and Chelsea first arrived, Kate asked, "Where is Max?"

"He's out in Louisiana," Frankie shared. "He moved there about six months ago." He quickly picked up on Chelsea's silence on their conversation and changed the subject. "I haven't talked to Ma or Bo in a while. How is Ciara doing after what happened with Victor?"

Chelsea remembered how she watched Ciara at her place so Bo and Hope could chew Victor out for kidnapping everyone to save Brady. "She's fine. She is pretty good at bouncing back into the swing of things and using horrible situations to her advantage. She really does enjoy the danger and attention; I get it…"

Kate eyed Chelsea for a moment before turning her attention to Billie. She needed to get something off her chest and there was nothing like the present to do so. "I want to share what I am thankful for," she declared. Billie, Chelsea, and Frankie gave her a weird look, but she didn't allow that to stop her. "I am thankful for this opportunity to spend time with all of you. It really has been nice to focus on family for the past year."

Trying to make sense of what was happening with her mother, Billie struggled with how to respond. She inhaled and chose to share what she was thankful for. "I am thankful for…"

"I haven't finished," Kate cut Billie off. She gently grabbed Billie's hand and said, "I know that my role as your mother impacted your life and created insecurities in your love life and your own role as a mother. I am sorry I had such a negative impact and was not the best mother to you."

Stunned by the seriousness and deepness of this conversation, Chelsea asked, "Is this really happening?" She didn't mean to ask her question out loud, but Kate's sudden apology really threw her for a loop.

Ignoring the shocked and confused expressions surrounding her, Kate nodded her head and admitted, "I'm trying to be more present to all of your needs and be there for you."

Billie showed a great nervousness in her face as she fearfully asked, "Mom, are you dying?"

"No," Kate immediately denied. "I only want to be sure I don't keep pushing you away so that my life is filled with regret. I don't want to leave you with regret either." Suddenly becoming emotional with being so open, Kate mentioned, "I think about Stefano and how he left things with his children and me after the events in Italy. I know mistrust has left a bad taste in everyone's mouth, and I want to make sure if you feel that now, I will do my best to fix things." She turned to Chelsea and remembered the mistrust between them when it came to her love life. Even though Chelsea apologized later for her rudeness, Kate knew she played a part in how her granddaughter treated her.

Chelsea turned to her mother and could see she was tearing up now too. Returning her attention to her grandmother, she stated, "I am happy you are turning a new leaf. I hope you keep it up so we can be better as a family."

Wiping her face, Billie fervently agreed with Chelsea. "I want that as well."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Since the weather was nice, Kate met up with Rex and Cassie for dinner outside at the Horton Town Square; it was nice to have them back in town for a bit. Placing her fork down, she asked, "Have you heard about the situation with Roman?"

Rex nodded his head. "Will filled us in, and I think Caroline wanted to talk to us about it after dinner. I don't know what to think about it all honestly."

Cassie definitely had an opinion though. Rolling her eyes, she shared, "I don't care what happens to him because he decided to leave and find trouble himself." Leaning back in her chair, she continued, "At least we have one parent who eventually decided to stick around. I always heard Roman was the type to just disappear for years, so I guess I never expected anything different."

"I don't want to speak for Roman," Kate started realizing Cassie thanked her in her own way, "…but you should know the two of you really helped me open my eyes to how I need to connect with you and your siblings."

Though it took them a long time and a lot of conversations to get to this point, Rex beamed, "It's great to be connected to at least one of our biological parents."

With her eyes on her brother, Cassie commented, "You were always better on how to say things diplomatically."

Kate's phone suddenly made a noise. She wondered if it was Will as she pulled it out of her purse. Noting the text message was from an unsaved number, Kate unlocked her cell and immediately noted she was greeted as Katerina. It read: " _Katerina, I promise I will see you soon. We will be reunited_." Concerned, she looked over her shoulder to make sure she, Rex, and Cassie were not being watched. The text message was definitely from Stefano.

* * *

 _Thursday, December 25th, 2014_

* * *

Kate headed to Switzerland for Christmas to spend time with Austin, Carrie, and Finn. To avoid Anna and Tony, Kate found Austin doing the dishes in the kitchen. "Let me give you a hand," she volunteered.

Austin allowed it since it had been some time since he saw his mother washing dishes. "Thanks."

After a moment, Kate began to speak. "I'm proud of you and your family. You are doing well, and you got your happily ever after with Carrie."

"I wake up every day and wonder if it is real," Austin admitted. "I can't wait to get Finn into boxing."

Kate laughed knowing that Austin was very happy to have a son. "Even though you may not fully believe your success, I do. I knew you would always be a great husband and father with the way you stepped up and took care of Billie."

Austin passed a dish to Kate to rinse. "Billie and I took care of each other." Eyeing his mother, he admitted, "Billie told me about what happened over Thanksgiving. Should I be worried that something is wrong?"

"People keep thinking that," Kate commented before sharing, "I am fine and have never been better."

When she entered the kitchen and spotted Kate helping Austin, Carrie swiftly stepped in so Kate would have to stop. "Kate, you do not need to be in here. You should relax in the other room with the others."

Even though she didn't want to sit with Anna and Tony, Kate agreed to leave. After drying her hands, she patted Austin's back before heading out into the living room. When she sat down, Finn came over wanting to sit on her lap.

Anna watched as Kate picked Finn up so he could sit on her. She grabbed Tony's hand and decided to make conversation. "Have you heard from Stefano at all?"

Denying it, Kate strongly maintained, "If Stefano tried I wouldn't respond to him anyway. My relationship with him is over." She began to play with Finn's blonde hair.

Tony smirked and wondered, "Is that true… because Stefano usually gets what he wants in the end. I am sure Stefano isn't done with you."

Kate turned the tables on Tony when she said, "Do you really think you can continue to hide from the DiMera family?"

Anna was not amused by Kate's question while Tony answered, "The DiMera family and I have no more connections. I have Anna in my life, and I'm not looking back."

As Anna leaned into Tony to give him a kiss, his phone began to ring. He snuck a peek to see who was calling before standing up. "I'll take this in the next room," he announced before walking away.

Eyeing her grandson, Anna commented, "We may have Finn in common, but I won't let you bring trouble to our lives again." When Kate scoffed at the thought, Anna argued, "You are trouble because of your connection to Stefano and Victor Kiriakis. I heard about the drama that happened in Salem, and I hope none of that spills over across the Atlantic Ocean."

What a hypocrite. Kate rolled her eyes and told Anna, "You have nothing to worry about as far as I am concerned."

"What do you mean by that?" Anna quickly questioned picking up that Kate was leaving some things unsaid.

With a smirk, Kate motioned her head in the direction Tony went and quipped, "I had no idea Tony was working, but I could see that phone call is very important to him. I saw the look on his face when his phone rang. I wonder who Tony is talking to behind your back."

Unamused, Anna reiterated, "You have only proven you bring trouble to those around you. No wonder Stefano walked away – no one wants you."

Kate continued to play with Finn's hair as she turned her body away from Anna. She had nothing left to say to her son's mother-in-law.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Kate arrived to the DiMera mansion after her dinner with Rex and Cassie, who decided to head to the pub to meet with Caroline. When Sami answered the front door, Kate did not waste any time in asking, "Is EJ here?"

Pointing behind her, Sami shared, "He's in the other room," before letting Kate in – she knew something was wrong. "We just got in from the hospital. Follow me."

EJ stood up when Sami walked in with Kate; he was surprised. "What are you doing here, Kate?"

Kate grumbled, "I wanted to avoid this place as well, but there's something you need to know. Stefano sent me a text message telling me he would see me soon."

Sami turned to EJ to see how he would respond, but she decided to voice her questions before he could say anything. "How do you know it was him? Did he actually say it was him?"

Kate adjusted her purse over her shoulder and shared, "He called me Katerina in the…" She abruptly stopped talking because Frank suddenly entered the room from the side door. She looked him over and noted the limp in his left leg.

With everyone's eyes on him, Frank held onto a package as he announced, "Mr. DiMera, I thought you should know that a package came in for Chad and Will this morning. After looking into it, I believe it is from Stefano."

EJ, Sami, and Kate were shocked.


	25. Stefano DiMera

**Chapter 25: Stefano DiMera – Thursday, September 15th, 2016**

 **H** ell had broken loose as far as EJ was concerned. He looked at Frank with great intensity. "I need you to repeat and explain yourself."

Frank lifted the package in his hands and said, "A package came in earlier today addressed to Chad and Will. I decided to check its safety since it did not include a return address. I believe it is from your father, Stefano."

Sami eyed Kate remembering what she shared before Frank walked into the room. "Is Stefano planning to make an appearance soon?"

EJ eyed Kate as well remembering the text that Stefano sent her. "I wouldn't put it past him to do something dramatic and to make everything about him," he admitted before taking the package from Frank to look it over. "Do you know what's inside?"

"It appears to be a DVD of some sort," Frank answered as EJ wondered what they should do with it now.

Sami placed her hands on her hips. "We should tell Will and Chad about the package," she declared.

Noting EJ was debating telling Chad and Will, Frank reminded his boss, "Their names are on the package."

EJ sighed because he knew this would complicate things for sure. "We should call them."

Shaking her head, Kate complained, "This never seems to end."

* * *

 _Monday, January 6th, 2014_

* * *

When the New Year hype had died down, Kate set up a coffee date with Marlena at Mandalay Café. "I want to discuss Stefano with you," she revealed after they chatted about Kate's helping Philip move back to Salem and John and Marlena's permanent return from Colorado.

Though she figured there was more to Kate's inviting her to get coffee together, Marlena tilted her head in confusion as she questioned, "Why do you want to hash things out with me – about Stefano?"

"You were once my therapist and friend," Kate reminded Marlena. "I need your help to continue the work that I am doing."

"And what work is that exactly?" Marlena had to ask for clarification since she was no longer allowed to practice any kind of therapy.

Kate cleared her throat before sharing, "I have taken steps to get over Stefano, but no matter what I do, I cannot escape him."

Marlena gave Kate an understanding look. "I know what you mean. I wish we could have gotten some sort of confirmation that Stefano died in the castle from all those explosions."

Realizing Marlena had no idea that EJ and Sami saw Stefano alive or that she saw him leaving the castle in a limo, Kate now figured she could only say so much. "Have you talked to Will recently? Have you noticed the issues he's having with his memory?"

Frustration showed in Marlena as she thought about Will's sudden condition. She looked down feeling some shame about the entire situation. "I'm not sure what to think about Chad at this point because he kept this a secret for so long. I found out because I tried to talk to Will about what I did to Kristen all those years ago, and for a moment he had no idea what I was talking about. Will and I are still struggling through my part in Kristen becoming a sex slave, but he did tell me about his memory issues after he made me promise not to tell Sami." Tossing her hair back, she made direct eye contact with Kate and said, "I am beside myself wishing there was something I could do to help. I don't like that our grandson has to suffer because of the DiMera family."

This time it was Kate who would do the assuring. "I know Rex will find a cure and help Will. I made Rex tell me everything about Will and how they hope to help him."

Even though Kate was remaining positive, Marlena couldn't help but note, "I noticed there is still a bit of doubt in you. What is that about?"

"I do not doubt Rex's ability," Kate clarified before explaining, "…but I can't help but wonder what will come next. There's always a next when Stefano is involved."

Marlena agreed. "I wish this wasn't true, but as long as Stefano is alive, he will always cast a shadow over our lives."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

At Chad and Will's mansion, Safiya helped her friends clear off the table after dinner. "So my little brother took me out to lunch to celebrate my new single's success. _Don't Perform for Me_ is already rising on the charts! Qamar also said he would hang out with me while I house sit for you guys."

Will raised his head realizing how swamped he was with his own stuff. Showing some guilt on his face, he said, "I promise we will do something for you soon."

"Don't worry about it because you two have enough on your plate," Safiya excused Chad and Will.

Remembering a discussion he and Will had some time ago, Chad revealed, "Will and I talked about throwing a huge party when your album comes out. What do you think?"

With excitement, Safiya clapped her hands and exclaimed, "I love it! I am so happy to share this experience with you!"

Will's phone suddenly rang. It was Sami. When he answered, Sami informed him about the package they received from Stefano. With concern, Will asked, "Do you already know what's inside?"

Sami shared, "I do." A part of her wondered if Will would scold her for opening his mail, so she didn't give him time to respond. "Frank looked into it, and it appears to be a DVD. We did not watch it yet. What do you want us to do?"

Will eyed Chad and Safiya as he told his mom, "Bring it over so we can watch it here." After his mother agreed, he ended the call and despairingly sighed.

"What's wrong?" Chad immediately asked.

Will shook his head. "Trouble may be coming this weekend after all."

* * *

 _Saturday, February 22nd, 2014_

* * *

At Salem University Hospital, Safiya sat next to Chad, who was in a hospital bed. She was checking in with him because she heard he had to be rushed to the hospital the day before. "Hopefully, you'll get the test results soon and everything will work out."

Chad still felt drained from whatever hit him yesterday. "Do you know how Will is doing?"

Safiya crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knee. "Your brother and Will's parents are in his hospital room keeping a close eye on him. He is resting." Noticing Chad seemed a bit lost, she repeated, "I hope the cure works so we can all get our lives back."

With an uneasy look, Chad apologized to Safiya. "I'm sorry this is getting in the way of your career."

"It's okay," Safiya reassured. "Dario and I talked to Brian and Josh. We decided I should record another cover to release on my YouTube channel. That doesn't matter at this moment because I am worried about you just like Will is worried about you." Smiling, she looked up as she reflected on her conversation with Will the night before. "Will misses his Cuddles."

Chad immediately laughed. It felt like a long time since he had done that. "I am thankful you are here now to keep me company while we wait."

"Me, too."

Rex abruptly entered the room causing Chad to lose his grin and become serious. "Can I have a moment alone with Chad?" he requested.

Safiya patted Chad's hand and stood up. "I'll go check on Will to see how he's doing," she decided before walking out. She closed the door behind her.

As Rex moved closer, Chad tried to pull himself up, but it was a struggle. "Did the cure work?"

Rex slightly lowered his head as he looked to the side. "Things are looking positive so far, but we want to run the tests again to be sure."

"Why did I have a different reaction to the same serum used on Will? The memory issues started quicker for me, and what happened to me in my room yesterday never happened to Will."

Rex took a seat and reminded Chad, "I hypothesized before that the serum could have different reactions in different people. I believe I was correct. It acted quicker in ways with you, and it's possible this serum was made specifically for you. Rolf pushed you to use it."

A look of realization covered Chad's face. "…meaning Stefano wanted to shut me up for good." Shaking his head, he asked, "Is this what you wanted to discuss with me in private?"

"No," Rex denied before saying, "It's Lexie."

"What about my sister?"

Rex swallowed hard. "Lexie is already trying to make plans in case my antidote doesn't work on you and has talked about starting some sort of procedure with Will." He showed discomfort on his face as he continued, "She wants to try the same procedure they performed on Abe when they found him in the basement of your father's home – the one where Colin and Lexie extracted the serum used on Abe while he was experimented on by Maddalena." He stood up and began to pace the room. He declared, "We cannot let that happen, Chad. We can't or Will will die."

Troubled by what he was hearing, Chad wondered, "How do you know that?"

Rex stopped pacing and disclosed, "I uncovered another trait in the serum in that it puts the person injected in a dead like sleep for a while… which is what happened when everyone, including my sister, was transferred to Melaswen all those years ago." He rubbed his head because the stress was really getting to him. He really needed to get this all out. "With this latest serum Rolf gave you and the serum used on Abe, the same immediate side effect occurs, but the same dead like sleep happens every now and then as well – a cycle is set depending on how much was used on the host."

Chad was really trying to track Rex, but it was a struggle. "Please. I think I know what you're saying, but is there any way you can simplify it for me?"

Rex realized he was sort of rambling whatever he could to get this off his chest. He scratched his face and took a deep breath. "I realized that Abe could have survived what happened to him if the serum hadn't been extracted from his system when he was found. You did not have to use the serum Rolf gave you on Will so he would survive because the serum already inside of him was cycling through his system once again. He would have just been in a dead like sleep, but I'm not sure for how long. The effect of the experiments Maddalena did still got to Abe in the end, and he died without the serum in his system meaning…" Rex paused because this was the big secret he had kept inside for some time. "…meaning, in a way, Colin killed Abe and so did Lexie."

"No…" Chad quickly stated. He was clearly in denial and didn't want to believe it. "What my sister and Colin did was help Abe because he got better. Maddalena killed my brother-in-law!"

Rex took a seat next to Chad once more to get through to him. "It did help, but it was short-term. Unfortunately, it came back and killed him because he no longer had the serum inside of him to cure whatever terminal ailment Maddalena created with her botched experiments."

Chad rubbed his head. "I… I don't want to believe it."

Rex grabbed his chair and moved closer to his nephew's boyfriend. "Focus Chad. I need you to focus." Once he and Chad locked eyes, he spoke more calmly. "We won't tell Lexie what we know. We both know she couldn't handle this. The reason I'm telling you all this is because we can't let Lexie try to do the same to you or Will – whatever it takes – because if we don't stop her, the two of you will most likely die."

Chad nodded his head to show Rex he understood. "It won't get to that though because your antidote will work, right?" He wasn't sure if he could talk to Lexie about her plan without telling her about how it killed Abe.

Rex nodded his head. "I have worked hard to make sure this cures everything including the cycle that makes someone appear dead."

Even with Rex's reassurance, Chad felt extremely angry about everything. He hated Stefano DiMera more than ever.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

With Lexie and Nathan's help, Chad rushed into Will's hospital room after Rex and Cassie to find EJ, Sami, and Maxine trying to hold Will down. "What's going on here?"

All of a sudden, Will stopped trying to fight off EJ, Sami, and Maxine to look Chad dead in the eyes. With a monotone quality in his voice, he asked, "What are my orders?"

Fear ran through Chad's entire body. He suddenly felt faint as he remembered the nightmare he had when he found Will in the basement. It was like it had come true in some way because Will seemed exactly like the perfect soldier from his nightmare. Taking a step back, he feared what this meant. "No."

When Chad stepped back, he lost his footing and fell to the ground. Lexie and Nathan tried to help him back on his feet. "You should have stayed in your room," Lexie complained.

Will started to try and break free once more causing EJ and Sami to struggle with him again. "Can we get some help here?" EJ requested as Maxine stood back frozen from fear due to what happened with Will.

Holding onto her son's arms, Sami couldn't help but notice he seemed to fight more aggressively to break free from her and EJ. "Someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on. Why is Will acting this way?"

Rex stepped in and offered a hypothesis. "It must be another side effect of the serum that he was given in Urbino."

"We should give Will the antidote now," Cassie suggested as she went over to EJ's side to help him hold Will down and calm him. Nathan quickly stood up leaving Chad on the floor with Lexie.

Rex handed Nathan the other syringe he had of the antidote and said, "It worked on Chad. Let's hope it works on Will." He moved to Sami's side to help hold Will still.

Nathan made sure the syringe was set before injecting it into Will's arm. "Here goes nothing."

Will continued to struggle for a short moment before suddenly getting still. He looked up to the ceiling and stated, "You cannot stop me," before passing out. Maxine covered her mouth.

Still on the ground with Lexie, Chad watched in horror unsure of what to say.

Lexie held Chad's hand and promised, "Everything will work out for Will. He will be cured."

Chad hoped it wasn't too late, but he couldn't help fearing the worst. "Stefano destroys everything," he released in a daze remembering what Rex told him earlier.

Trying to get a hold of herself, Maxine turned to Chad because she heard what he said. She worried about Cameron being Stefano's son.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

Walking out of Theo's room at the hospital, Lexie lamented, "I hate that they are having to monitor Theo overnight to make sure everything is okay, but I know an EEG will help us rule out any long-term health issues."

Brandon placed his hand on Lexie's back as he looked to Cameron. "We're here all night if you need us to be."

"Thanks," Lexie showed great appreciation when her phone rang. "It's EJ," she shared before answering. "Hello?" She knew he wouldn't call her at this time unless it was something important. He had told her he would check in with her tomorrow when he left the hospital earlier.

"Lexie, how is Theo?"

"He's resting," Lexie answered. "We still don't have definitive answers."

EJ sympathetically sighed. "I hope everything gets cleared up soon for the better. I'm sorry for bothering you, but I thought you would want to know that father sent a DVD to Chad and Will. We're all meeting at their house to watch it."

Needing to see it for herself, Lexie said, "I want to know what he has to say. I will be there." She wondered if Stefano could be the reason Theo's visions returned – if the visions were the reason for Theo's being rushed to the hospital.

Cameron heard Lexie tell EJ that she would talk to him, so when she ended the call, he asked, "Is everything okay? What do you need to tell me?"

Lexie put her cell in her pocket and shared, "Stefano sent a DVD to Chad and Will. We're going to Chad's to watch it."

"I'll go with you," Cameron decided.

Lexie eyed the door that led to Theo's hospital room, and Brandon noticed it. He wanted to do whatever he could to help her through this. "I'll stay here with Theo and let you know if anything comes up," he promised her.

Lexie thanked Brandon by squeezing his hand before leaving with Cameron.

* * *

 _Saturday, February 22nd, 2014_

* * *

It was late when Lexie met Manny in the park. Taking a seat on a bench with him, Lexie felt overwhelmed by the day's events. "Thanks for meeting and decompressing with me," she stressfully released.

Manny leaned back on the bench and asked, "Do you want to talk about what happened?" before assuming, "Is it related to your mom?"

Lexie shook her head. "My mother is still in a coma, but the reason today was stressful is because Chad was rushed to the hospital and Will almost lost himself."

Manny raised his right eyebrow. "I don't know if I should ask for more details," he wondered. "I'm assuming this is related to Stefano."

"Your assumption is correct," Lexie confirmed. "Stefano did this. I nearly lost my brother, and then he almost lost his boyfriend." Her thoughts went to Abe and how she almost lost herself in her grief. "I hate that Stefano, my father, is such a negative influence in our lives. I feel so cursed. I doubt my ability to find or be happy in life."

Manny took Lexie's hand and reminded her, "Don't go down that road again."

Lexie took a few deep breaths before agreeing. "You're right. I have to be better. I cannot let Stefano take the rest of my life away." Turning to Manny, she admitted, "It would be easier if Stefano was dead – at least I hope it would be easier. With him alive, I know he cannot stay away for long."

Trying to distract Lexie from Stefano, Manny asked her, "Are Will and Chad going to be okay?"

With a sigh of relief, Lexie answered, "Yes. Chad is resting, and Will woke up before I left. He was back to his normal self."

"That's good," Manny maintained.

"Thanks again for allowing me to vent and process," Lexie replied. "You are a good friend."

Manny gave Lexie a nod. "Anytime."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th. 2016_

* * *

Everyone arrived to Chad and Will's mansion to watch the video together. Chad put on the DVD before taking Will's hand. It took everything in him to stay calm in front of the others.

Stefano appeared on the large screen. He had a huge grin on his face. "Hello Chad and William. This is your first wedding gift from me. Yes, I've heard the joyous news, and I am assuming I did not get an invitation to the amazing event due to the fact that you do not know how to reach me."

Chad leaned into Will and disapprovingly countered, "He didn't get an invitation because he isn't invited."

Stefano continued, "I am excited the two of you are finally becoming one in marriage. I know you must be in the process of assuring everything is set for the wedding." With a laugh, he joked, "Chad, I hope you have changed your taste in music as I remember the horrible noise you blasted in your room in my house."

EJ and Sami traded looks, and though they were annoyed with Stefano, they couldn't help but smirk about Chad's taste in music.

Stefano stopped laughing. "I digress though. I wish I could be with the family to see how all of you have come together since my last funeral. I am glad that I could bring the family together before I left you all in Italy."

Lexie rolled her eyes and gawked, "He always likes to take responsibility for the good things and not the bad."

"I must say my farewells for now," Stefano announced in the video. "The family will never see me like this ever again, but you will see me in person one day soon." Clasping his hands to show he remembered something, he gloated, "Oh, I have another gift for the two of you, which should arrive in time for the wedding ceremony." He allowed his grin to grow wider as he stated, "My heart is with you," before the screen went black.

Even with the non-threatening tone of Stefano's video, Will couldn't help but note Chad's impatience was running thin. He worried that seeing Stefano's face again would only bring back all the pain and anger from the past.

* * *

 _Sunday, February 23rd, 2014_

* * *

Lucas followed Sami into Will's hospital room and was immediately relieved to see his son's eyes open. "Good, you're awake," he greeted his son warmly. Per Sami's instruction, he tried to stay positive and not mention what Will had been through the past few months. "It looks like you'll be released today. After that, you'll be set to continue focusing on your future."

Will knew what Lucas was trying to do. It was so obvious to him. "If there's anything I've learned from this experience, it is that I will always have to watch my back. I'll constantly have to look over my shoulder to make sure I have what I need… that I have what I want in life."

With a worried look on her face, Sami moved closer to her son. "Will, your dad and I don't want that for you because you can't always second guess everything in life." She hated that she let her guard down around Stefano.

"I almost lost Chad," Will achingly reminded them with great emphasis. His voice trembled due to the fear wanting to come out. "I almost lost myself. If Chad had taken the same dosage as me, the same thing could have happened or worse. I hate Stefano, and I hate that life is full of people out there who want to destroy others just because they can or because they're too blind to see that their actions – their choices – impact everyone around them."

Lucas hated to see his son so torn up from this. He wanted to step in and be strong for him. "Stefano won't be a problem anymore because he is out of the picture."

Will shook his head before calling his father out. "Do you actually believe that?"

"Yes, I do," Lucas released without hesitation.

But Will knew better. "Do I have to remind you of how much you hate EJ and until recently hated Chad?"

Sami realized she needed to step in as well to help calm Will's fears. "Will, I was the same way, but people can change. You need to lay off your dad and listen. Stefano is done. EJ and I have it covered, and you don't have to worry about that anymore."

Will took a moment to collect himself. "This is too weird… seeing you two on the same side like this." He decided to calm himself and give in to what his parents wanted – to a point. "I won't let Stefano stop me from living my life with Chad, but I will make for damn sure that Stefano does not come back into our lives to destroy it like he does every time. Chad and I are adults, so we don't need you or EJ trying to keep us out of this."

Before Sami and Lucas could respond, Rex and Cassie came in with news, but first they wanted to check in. "How are you feeling Will?"

Will eyed his parents trying to move past the tension between them. "I'm feeling fine."

Rex was glad to hear it. He placed his hand over his chest and sincerely said, "I want to apologize for taking so long with the antidote. We definitely cut it too close, but I wanted to be sure it was the best it could be and so I had to make a few last-minute tweaks."

Sami eyed Cassie and Rex and tried to read their body language. "So is Will in the clear?"

With a smile, Rex confirmed, "Everything is looking great with the latest round of results. We will continue to monitor you and run tests to make sure the antidote is a permanent solution."

In Chad's hospital room, EJ, Lexie, and Dario were visiting with him. Wanting to keep her brother relaxed in bed, Lexie shared, "I talked to Rex about your condition and Will's condition. Everything is looking great. There will be follow-ups to make sure you two remain in the clear."

Noting Chad couldn't look at him or Lexie, EJ reflected over the animosity that still existed between them due to Chad keeping Stefano's secret. Even so, in this moment, all that mattered was that Chad and Will were going to be okay. When Chad finally glanced up to him, he grinned at his brother hoping to keep things positive as well. "I am grateful everything worked out in the end. We can all move forward now."

As much as he appreciated his siblings' attempt in keeping things light, Chad couldn't sit there and just move forward. He could barely look at Lexie because of what Rex shared with him, and with what happened to Will before the antidote was used on him, he was so fired up against the man he once called father. "I'm sorry, but this isn't exactly a happy ending. This isn't over just yet because I cannot forget how this all went down. Stefano came after me using Rolf. He either wanted me dead or he wanted to wipe my memory completely to become his new perfect soldier."

Dario could see the fire in Chad's eyes – he was determined. "I overheard Rex and Cassie talking about Rolf. They plan to continue to search for him to get more answers."

"I don't care about Rolf unless it gets me to Stefano," Chad swiftly stated.

Taking a deep breath, Lexie couldn't hold back her concern for Chad. "What are you planning, Chad?"

Before Chad could answer, EJ tried to get through to his brother to make sure he did not vocalize anything. The last thing he wanted was for Chad to actually have a plan. "I understand you are upset, but you cannot allow that anger to turn into obsession."

Ignoring his brother, Chad declared, "If I ever get my hands on Stefano, he is a dead man."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After the lights came back up at Chad and Will's mansion, Safiya walked over to Will and Chad and said, "I had no idea your dad had such a mean mug, Cuddles."

As Chad remained eerily silent, Will noticed EJ motion Frank to follow him to the hall so they could talk in private. Sami followed them out. Returning his attention to Safiya, he realized Chad didn't respond and could see Safiya realized now was not the proper time to make jokes. "Stefano is even scarier in person."

Kate turned to Lexie and Cameron but made sure to keep her eyes on Chad and Will. She knew this was something they did not need to deal with this weekend. "Stefano will most likely show up at the wedding and be the final gift he referred to in the end. He did promise me he would see me soon."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Lexie said, "This is the last thing we need. I wonder if we should beef up security at the wedding to make sure Stefano can't get in."

"Would that even stop him?" Cameron questioned. This was kind of the first time he saw Stefano _alive_. It was just all so surreal.

Lexie raised her finger and admitted, "You have a point. It probably won't."

Coming out of his confusing thoughts on Stefano, Cameron wondered, "What do you think he meant when he said we would never see him ' _like this_ ' again?"

Kate crossed her arms and shared her thoughts, "I think he simply meant we wouldn't see him on video. The next time we see Stefano DiMera will be in person. You can bet my life on it."

After listening in on Kate, Lexie, and Cameron's discussion, Dario walked over to Chad to check in with him. "Are you keeping your cool? I want to make sure you don't let this distract you from what is happening this weekend. You and Will should focus on being happy. You shouldn't have to look over your shoulders waiting for something bad to happen. We promised we would do things different – we would be different."

Raising her hand, Safiya suggested, "I can be a look out for you! I'm good at noticing the small things." She was still trying to be helpful and ease the negativity in the room. She hated seeing her friends going through this.

Dario liked Safiya's idea and said, "I can do the same. I'll give Sonny the memo later. That's the role of the best man, right?" Realizing what time it was, he felt bad because he would have to change his dinner plans since Sonny was most likely on his way home now.

Running his hand down Chad's arm, Will thanked Dario and Safiya before attempting to help his fiancé focus on the positive and come out of his shell. "Chad, everything will be fine. Stefano won't get in the way of this weekend."

Chad continued to remain silent in his thoughts. It was a struggle because all he heard was what he should and should not do. How long was he supposed to let this go on? He was done allowing Stefano the ability to do this to him and his family over and over again. This needed to end.

Meanwhile, in the hallway, EJ crossed his arms over his chest. "Frank, I need you to track my father down as soon as possible. He cannot be allowed to ruin anything this weekend or our lives."

Frank nodded his head. "I promise I will get on it and call my connections."

Keeping his eye on the entryway to the entertainment room to make sure no one else joined them in on this conversation, EJ added, "I also need you to keep anything you find from Chad."

Before Frank could respond in any way, Sami took EJ's hand and said, "We should join the others in the room to say goodnight, so we can head home to make sure the kids are okay."

Sami and EJ returned to the entertainment room as Frank remained in the hall taking in everything EJ wanted him to do. He pulled out his phone and sent a few text messages to some of his contacts to continue their search for Stefano. He knew he needed a new plan and was thankful Sami stepped in before he had to promise anything he didn't want to.

Will walked out into the hall after some time. When he was close enough to Frank, he went straight to the point. "What do you know about Stefano's whereabouts?"

Frank put his phone away so he could look at Will. "I am working on finding Stefano. I started when Cameron got that text message. I believe Stefano is covering his tracks well and may be somewhere in Europe – though it could merely seem that way to keep us off his tracks."

Will hated that there were no definites in Frank's response. "I overheard my grandma mention Stefano contacted her tonight. Has Stefano tried to reach out to EJ?"

"No, at least not to my knowledge."

Will couldn't help but find that fishy, but he moved forward. "I know EJ wants you to keep Chad in the dark about this, but please, as a friend, don't do that."

Frank gave Will a nod. He truly believed things would work better if everyone came together on this. "I promise to keep you two updated. I think keeping secrets from anyone can only cause more danger – especially in a situation like this."

"Thanks, Frank," Will said with great appreciation.

"No problem," Frank replied. "Please let me know if you hear anything. For now, I should go."

After agreeing, Will led Frank out of the hall and through the entertainment room. He noticed it was a lot emptier than before. "I guess almost everyone already left."

Strangely calm, Chad shared, "Lexie and Cameron are on their way back to the hospital and Kate, Dario, and Safiya decided to go home. Dario mentioned something about a quiz he needs to take." He followed Frank and Will to the front door where EJ and Sami stood waiting.

EJ placed his hand on Chad's back and said, "Everything will be okay. Don't worry yourself about it."

"I won't," Chad lied.

"Well, goodnight then," EJ replied. After Sami gave Will a hug, they walked out with Frank.

Now that they were alone, Will grabbed Chad's hand and could see he was no longer masking his frustration. "Look at me, Chad," he released to keep Chad's attention on him. "Frank told me that he's tracking Stefano down and will keep us updated. We will be okay."

Chad leaned his forehead on Will's. He closed his eyes as he promised, "Everything will be okay because I will make sure it is."

When Chad opened his eyes again, Will looked deep into them and said, "I will follow your lead. We are in this together." Deep down, he mentally told himself that he couldn't allow Chad to lose himself in this. He had to be there every step of the way to make sure that didn't happen.

Chad wrapped his arms around Will and kissed him. "We are, Blue." Deep down, he wondered what Stefano's next gift would be.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Future**_ _: Saturday, September 17th, 2016_

* * *

Holding hands in their decorated back yard, Chad and Will stood in front of everyone as Lexie, who was officiating the wedding, stated, "If anyone thinks that Chad and Will should not get married they should speak now or forever hold their peace."

Chad and Will playfully turned towards the audience believing no one would object. Suddenly, someone arrived, stepped forward, and said, "I do." Everyone in the attendance turned back towards the person who spoke; they looked on in complete shock.


	26. Ciara Brady

**Chapter 26: Ciara Brady – Thursday, September 15th, 2016 – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

"I need to get out of here," Ciara whispered to herself. She had just walked out of Theo's hospital room and felt overwhelmed by what she and her friend discussed. When she heard a door nearby suddenly open, Ciara quickly hid because she didn't want to talk to anyone. She just wanted to find her mom so they could go home.

"I'll check in with you later, Mr. Shepherd," Sonny stated before walking out of a different hospital room. He closed the door and headed down the hall quietly talking to himself about Maxine and needing to talk to her.

When Ciara could no longer hear Sonny's voice or footsteps, she peered down the hallway and saw it was now empty. This was her chance. Pushing herself off the wall, she quickly and quietly made her way through the hall hoping she would find her mother alone. Unfortunately, Sonny beat her to Hope. Ciara sighed in disappointment as she watched the two begin to talk.

"Hey Hope, what are you doing here? Did something happen to Caroline again?"

"Bo's mom is fine," Hope answered right away. "I'm actually waiting for Ciara. She's visiting with Theo."

Sonny casually placed his hands in the front pockets of his dark slacks. "Celeste and Chad told me about Theo. Everyone seems so worried… I even saw Kristen with Brady earlier. It's good Theo has all this support." After clearing his throat, he then commented, "Ciara and Theo have been friends since they were little, huh?"

With a nod, Hope smiled and confirmed, "The best."

Crossing his arms now, Sonny looked around and asked, "Is Bo here?"

Hope denied it before claiming, "He's probably still at the police station."

Ciara continued to hide as she watched Sonny and Hope continue to talk. She wished he would just walk away already, but Sonny wasn't done. He asked Hope, "Has Bo mentioned anything to you about Victor?"

Hope thought Sonny's question was random and strange. Ciara could tell because of the way her mother raised her left eyebrow. "Why are you asking about Victor?" Hope wondered aloud – the suspicion in the tone of her voice confirmed Ciara's observation.

Sonny dropped his hands to his sides once more and shared, "I don't know if something is going on, but I have a feeling Victor is keeping a secret about his health."

With an expression of concern, Hope replied, "I haven't heard anything, but I will definitely talk to Bo about it later."

Ciara couldn't take this anymore. All of these secrets were too much, and she started to wonder if Sonny planned to keep talking to her mother forever. She suddenly approached her mom and Sonny interrupting their conversation. Grabbing Hope's hand while ignoring Sonny's presence altogether, she lamented, "I'm ready to go home."

Hope moved Ciara's hair from her face so she could really look at her. "We should say bye to Lexie before we go."

No deal. Ciara wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. "I just need to go home because I have homework that's due tomorrow," she insisted. She could feel Hope's eyes staring holes into her because she wouldn't make eye contact with her mom.

Hope seemed to soften with the way her body shifted towards Ciara. Ciara heard her mom gently sigh; she knew she was about to cave in and not turn this into a bigger deal than it needed to be. "Let's go home then." Hope gave Sonny a smile and said, "I'll talk to you later."

Ciara began to breathe a bit easier because soon she would be safe in her room.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Later, Ciara laid on the queen bed in her bedroom at the house. She struggled with doing her homework because she couldn't stop thinking about what happened with Theo. The constant messages via text and social media apps from her fellow classmates and friends especially didn't help.

Dropping her pencil from between her fingers, Ciara remembered Theo not feeling well suddenly at lunch. He was so quiet. She knew something was wrong. She should have kept a closer eye on him. If she had, perhaps he wouldn't have had a seizure in Mrs. Horton's class. Maybe he wouldn't have…

"Focus Ciara," she told herself. She grabbed her personalized mechanical pencil and started on her homework again. She really needed to finish it so she could find something to do that would be more effective in distracting her from her talk with Theo.

Unfortunately for Ciara, her phone sounded. It was another text from Stanley, a friend from school, asking about Theo. She read the text but chose not to respond just like the others. She wasn't ready to talk to anyone about it just yet, which was odd because she usually lived for this type of hype and attention, but this situation was different. It wasn't really about her.

"Ciara!" Hope's voice sounded from down stairs. "Can you please come down?!"

After closing her hard-bound cloth notebook, Ciara crawled out of bed and rushed down the stairs to find her dad was now home. "Hey dad," she released quietly.

While Ciara gave Bo a hug, Hope shared, "We are having dinner at the pub with your grandmother."

As much as she loved spending time with her grandmother – especially when they baked raisin oatmeal cookies – Ciara was sort of bummed with the news because she knew there would be others there as well. She wasn't sure if she could handle all those people asking questions about Theo or talking about what happened, but then she realized if she avoided the topic, she could turn dinner into a much needed distraction from what happened earlier.

"I heard about Theo," Bo released after separating from Ciara. She could hear concern in his voice and wondered if he picked up on her sudden discomfort.

Needing to escape this conversation, Ciara cut off her dad before he could say more. "I will grab my stuff from my room, so we can leave."

When Ciara began her trek up the stairs, Bo turned to his wife and asked, "Is everything okay with Ciara? Is her weird distance connected to Theo?" He did not know Ciara had stopped on the top step to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Hope's voice was full of worry as she admitted, "She's been off since we left the hospital."

Shaking her head, Ciara decided to quickly head into her room so she could grab the things she needed to take with her in case they stayed at the pub longer than necessary. She realized avoiding any talk about Theo would be difficult and needed to come up with an actual plan so she could deflect all night if necessary.

When Ciara rushed down the steps with some of her things, Bo moved close to her again. "Are you okay, sweet pea?"

"I'm fine," Ciara maintained. She headed out the door knowing her short answer would not save her every time. She could do better and figured she had the entire drive to the pub to figure out what that should be.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

With the pub still open downstairs, Ciara sat at the long dinner table upstairs with a lot of her family members. Thus far no one said much to her besides simple greetings, so she took the time to study those surrounding her. First, she glanced over to her grandmother, who sat at the head of the table. Caroline was definitely someone she admired. Though she was sweet, she was also very tough in how she approached things. Her fire was definitely something Ciara wanted to emulate in herself.

Turning her focus across from her, Ciara watched as her brother, Shawn, helped Belle with Claire, who seemed to be in one of her worse moods. It was odd having a niece who was closer to her age than her brother, but then Ciara remembered how her Aunt Julie was also her grandmother and realized it wasn't that strange after all. She continued to watch as Claire gave Shawn and Belle evil looks – the looks sort of reminded her of her cousin, Sami.

Ciara wished Sami was there because Sami always had this way of making family events exciting and dramatic in a fun way. She looked further down the table and noticed Andrew helping Gabi with Carter. She remembered how much Andrew and Gabi hated each other when they took over the pub, but things were definitely different now for some reason. She didn't really care to find out exactly what that reason could be – it was most likely something sappy like them falling in love with each other.

Before Ciara could focus on the others around the table, Caroline caught everyone's attention by lightly knocking on the table. She stated, "I feel very special to have a lot of the family together like this. I know that our family is spread around the world but even when some of us gather like this, I feel connected to everyone. I cannot wait until more come home for the wedding this weekend."

"Do we know who is coming," Shawn-Douglas asked.

Leaning back in his chair, Bo answered, "Kim and Shane should be."

"They are," Andrew confirmed it.

Wiping her face, Chelsea announced, "My mom, Frankie, Austin, and Carrie are flying in together from London Saturday morning."

"Finn should be with them, too, of course," Belle piped in.

With her son on her lap, Gabi commented, "I know Carter will be happy to have Finn around."

Everyone was just talking over the other about who was coming, where they were staying, and for how long. Ciara sat back and relaxed because everyone was distracted. It was a nice feeling until Ciara realized she wasn't distracted. She still remembered what Theo told her. She still felt the nervous fear he transferred to her with every word he spoke.

"Has anyone heard from Roman?" Caroline's question rendered everyone silent for a moment.

Out of her thoughts, Ciara watched her dad as he broke through the discomfort in the room. "There hasn't been any news on him. I talked to John for a bit, and he's going to help in tracking him down. Everyone is coming together on this."

With sadness, Caroline wished, "We need a miracle so that he can be there for his grandson's wedding."

"What was Uncle Roman doing anyway?" Ciara questioned finally breaking her silence. She didn't understand how her uncle could leave Salem and then suddenly disappear.

Patting her daughter's hand on the table, Hope said, "We're not sure."

Ciara knew better. Her mom was clearly trying to placate her so that she would drop this for Caroline's sake. She disliked how the family treated her grandmother as if she were delicate. It reminded her of how she was treated; although she understood it when they did it to her because she wasn't an adult yet. Caroline, on the other hand, had lived life and knew a lot more than anyone else in the room.

Chelsea, who was sitting on the other side of Ciara, leaned into her sister and asked, "So you saw Theo at the hospital today?"

Even if Chelsea was clearly trying to distract her from asking about Roman, Ciara allowed it because her big sister was usually straight with her about things. "I did." She purposely kept her answer short because a part of her wondered if Bo asked Chelsea to talk to her about Theo when she shut his attempts down earlier.

Ciara kept her eyes to the side as Chelsea pointed out, "It must have been scary for you to see Theo have a seizure in class."

Ciara's eyes suddenly glazed over as she went back to that exact moment in her mind. "It was a bit overwhelming," she admitted before shaking off the experience.

When Ciara looked away even more, Chelsea must have taken the hint that she did not want to talk about this anymore because she changed the subject to something Ciara enjoyed discussing with her big sister. "So how is your street cred these days?" Chelsea questioned with great curiosity.

A smile appeared on Ciara's face for the first time at the pub. "I am on schedule in owning high school, but I wonder if I should slow down because I don't want to get bored the last three years that I'm there."

Chelsea laughed and reminisced, "I remember owning the halls with Abby."

Ciara could always count on Chelsea to make her forget her problems. "Did you and Abby do anything crazy?"

Nodding her head, Chelsea answered, "Yes, but I know your parents would kill me if I ever shared those stories."

Ciara had heard some of those stories, but she knew Chelsea only said that because her parents were around. As they continued to talk high school, Ciara overheard her mother tell her father, "Sonny approached me at the hospital and asked me about Victor." As much as Ciara tried to block out her parents' conversation, she couldn't because she remembered what Sonny said about her grandpa Victor.

"What about him?" Bo questioned.

"I'm not sure, but Sonny seems to think Victor is having health issues," Hope shared.

Bo made a ticking noise with his mouth before whispering, "I don't know anything. Maybe I should check in with Victor."

Figuring her dad lowered his voice so Caroline didn't hear them discussing Victor, Ciara kept her focus on Chelsea, who was telling her about how Josh and Abby dated in high school. She took a deep breath as she wondered if she should be worried about her grandpa. All this worrying and stress was really getting to her.

Cutting into Ciara and Chelsea's conversation as well as Ciara's eavesdropping on their parents' discussion, Shawn teasingly asked, "So Ciara, have you found a boyfriend yet?"

Ciara quickly denied it, but Hope cut in, "Ciara and Theo are only good friends."

Confused, Shawn commented, "No one said anything about Theo. Is there something going on that I don't know?"

This needed to end. Ciara gave her brother a look and attempted to play off any idea that something romantic was happening between her and Theo. "I don't know what mom is talking about."

Backing off, Hope replied, "I don't know anything definite, but I've made a few observations."

Over the attention, Ciara announced, "I'm done eating. I'll head to the other room and finish my homework." She pulled out her chair and rushed out of the room. When the coast was clear, she closed her eyes, wiped her forehead, and deeply sighed. This was definitely too much.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Ciara was quietly sitting in class trying to take a standardized test. Creaking sounds escaped intermittently from the ancient intercom in the obscurely lit classroom. It was distracting. She tried to refocus her mind, but her yellow number two pencil suddenly broke. "Crap," she said under her breath.

When Ciara apprehensively raised her hand, the teacher took note and asked, "Do you have a problem, Miss Brady?"

"My pencil broke," Ciara hesitantly replied. "I don't have a spare."

The teacher turned her back to Ciara and firmly directed, "Ciara Brady, go to the principal's office." She began to write a name on the dusty chalkboard. The sound of the chalk striking the chalkboard was painful to all of her senses for some odd reason.

Unsure of what just happened, Ciara diffidently asked, "Why can't I simply borrow a pencil?" There was something wrong here as she realized she wasn't in control of herself like she normally was.

The teacher seemed annoyed now. "Go to the principal's office," she directed again before adding, "Mr. Carver, please escort Miss Brady to make sure she does as she is told."

Ciara meekly sighed and hesitantly stood up with Theo. On their way out, she noted that the intercom speaker was still creaking. She wondered what that was about.

In the locker-filled hall, Ciara shook her head and complained, "Why was our teacher being such an old hag? And what the hell is wrong with all the lights at this school? Are the bulbs going out?"

Theo gave Ciara a cautious look. "Don't make things worse," he warned.

Stopping, Ciara looked at Theo and asked, "Do you really think I'm in the wrong in this? It was just a pencil." She was starting to feel like her old self again and didn't understand why she was so afraid to call out her teacher.

Theo now stopped walking and turned to face Ciara. "I'm always on your side, Ciara, but I want to know if you will be on mine?"

"What are you talking about?"

Theo didn't get to answer Ciara's question because a door nearby suddenly burst open. Roman rushed out of it and shouted, "Ciara… Theo… you two need to get to safety because he's here."

Without skipping a beat, Theo grabbed Ciara's hand. "We should head to the principal's office."

Ciara did not understand what was happening here. First, she gave Theo a confused look as she asked, "What are you doing?" Then she turned to her uncle. "Who are you talking about? Who is here?"

The decomposing intercom in the elongated hall unexpectedly began to creak again causing a chill to run down Ciara's body. Grabbing his niece's attention, Roman answered, "That's him. You need to go after Theo."

"Go after Theo?" Ciara turned around and realized Theo left without her. She didn't even realize he let go of her hand. Rushing down the hall towards the main office, Ciara struggled in understanding what was happening around her. She saw glimpses of shadows running past her in every direction causing her to freak out and wonder even more.

"Uncle Roman?" she called out. "What's going on?"

Ciara didn't get a response though. She took a deep breath when she arrived to the main office and immediately noticed static coming from the intercom inside. Listening carefully, she could hear her name faintly being called from it. "Theo?" She recognized the voice as her best friend's. "Theo, are you okay?"

Hurriedly pacing through the office, she arrived to the principal's door, which was closed. "Theo? Are you in there?" She opened the door and immediately noted the back of the principal's chair was facing her. She looked to the desk and noted the name of the principal was not the name she expected to see. "Grandpa Victor?" she questioned with confusion. When did he become the principal?

Ciara slowly moved closer to the desk when she suddenly heard a loud and booming laugh coming from the black office chair. The laugh definitely did not belong to her grandfather. "Who's there?" she quaked in fear.

Without warning, the chair twirled around to reveal Stefano sitting in it. Through the most menacing smile she had ever seen, he greeted her, "Hello Ciara."

 **–(** **–)** **–**

 _Ciara_ jolted awake and had to catch her breath. A tear fell down the right side of her face as she tried to make sense of what just happened. "Grandpa Victor? … Theo? … Uncle Roman?" she released as she studied her surroundings. Her eyes eventually adjusted to the darkness, and she realized she was in her bedroom. A sense of relief came over her as she closed her eyes and directed, "Get a hold of yourself, Ciara. It was only a nightmare."

Grabbing her phone from her night stand, she looked at the time and realized it was after midnight. She unlocked her phone and hit the messages app before tapping on Theo's name. She debated whether she should send him a text to see if he was okay. Figuring it was too late, she took a deep breath before grabbing Abe's watch, which was also on her night stand. As she studied it, she couldn't help thinking back to when she talked to Theo at the hospital the day before.

* * *

 _Thursday, September 15th, 2016_

* * *

After talking to Lexie, Ciara walked into Theo's hospital room and took a seat next to his bed. Since he didn't look in her direction or say a word, she asked, "Are you giving everyone the silent treatment again?"

Turning his head to face Ciara, Theo replied, "No. I'm not going to be _Theo the Mute_ again. I won't put you through that anymore."

Through a pacified sigh, Ciara followed up with, "Are you okay, Carver?" She looked directly into Theo's eyes and showed her concern for him as she thought about him having a seizure on the classroom floor.

"I'm doing okay," Theo answered swiftly taking her hand; he was able to soothe her simply by his touch.

"What was it like – the seizure?"

"It was awful," Theo stated before leaning the opposite direction of Ciara so he could grab his father's watch. Handing it to Ciara, he requested, "Please hold onto this for me."

Ciara studied Abe's watch. "Why?"

Releasing a bit of anxiety with an exhale, Theo shared, "I think the watch is the reason I had the seizure. I felt drawn to put it on, but I'm not exactly sure why." The answer came to him as soon as he shared his uncertainty. He remembered how the blessed bracelet he received from Pastor Carlson's friend broke apart. He swallowed hard as an anxious look covered his face.

Theo wasn't looking into her eyes, and his answer really didn't add up. "You're keeping something from me," Ciara realized. "Tell me what really happened today."

Theo chose to remain mum because he didn't want to disappoint Ciara.

"You had a vision," Ciara gathered by Theo's silence. "That's why you want to give me your dad's watch – why you were drawn to it. What did you see?"

Knowing he couldn't keep this from Ciara, Theo released a heavy sigh. "Please don't tell anyone about my visions. I don't want to acknowledge them anymore," he begged.

"I promise," Ciara stated honestly. "I won't tell anyone. Tell me what you saw."

Clearing his throat, Theo struggled as he nervously admitted, "In my visions, I've been seeing Stefano. It's dark, and I have a feeling it's only going to get worse. I believe my nonno is coming back, and it's not going to be good for anyone."


	27. Bo and Hope Brady

**Chapter 27: Bo and Hope Brady – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **W** ith her books in her arms, Ciara walked down the stairs ready to head to school, but halfway down she spotted her parents waiting for her near the couch. They clearly wanted to talk about something. "What?"

Hope uncrossed her arms and waited until Ciara finished her trek down the stairs to ask, "Are you really up to go to school today?"

Casually shrugging her shoulders, Ciara answered, "I'm not sick so it doesn't make sense to skip school."

Leaning on the arm of the sofa, Bo pushed, "Do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?" He tried to give her space the night before and hoped it was enough to get her to open up now.

Ciara thought back to her nightmare but didn't allow any fear to show on her face. Without skipping a beat, she replied, "I don't. Who is taking me to school since Lexie is with Theo?"

Bo eyed Hope for a moment and wondered if Ciara got much sleep the night before. She was definitely a different person from when they had their father-daughter date earlier in the week. "We're all riding together," he sighed before pointing out, "If you don't want to talk about Theo, then how are you going to handle all of your friends and classmates when they ask about him?"

Ciara sighed now. "I'm not dumb," she maintained. "I know I will get a ton of questions, but I have a reputation to uphold. I can't show I am afraid, and I'm not going to let what happened yesterday make me show any weakness."

Hope smiled at her daughter to appease her. Though she could understand it, she was not a fan of Ciara believing she needed to hold up this guarded persona. She wondered if Ciara felt the need to put up this front for her and Bo as well. Turning to her husband, she suggested, "We should head out."

Bo pulled himself onto his feet and didn't want to let this go because he was still worried about his daughter. A suggestive look from Hope told him to give Ciara space though. "Let's go then."

* * *

 _Wednesday, December 4th, 2013_

* * *

Walking through the front door of his home, Bo noted the house appeared to be empty. Since he knew better, he headed up the stairs to search for his oldest daughter. He heard a gagging noise coming from the upstairs bathroom and realized where Chelsea was. Lightly tapping on the bathroom door, he slowly opened it to find Chelsea throwing up.

Chelsea wiped her mouth surprised to see her dad there. "I thought I was alone."

Bo nervously looked his daughter over. "Hope told me you were feeling ill, so I came to check in on you." When Chelsea remained quiet, he felt even more awkward in asking, "Are you…"

Noting the funny look Bo was giving her, Chelsea quickly realized what her father was trying to ask. "No!" she immediately exclaimed. "This isn't morning sickness. Ignazio and I never had sex!" Heading for the door, she pushed her dad out and said, "I need to clean up here."

Bo remained in the hall and waited for Chelsea. He could hear the bathroom sink running. Shaking his head, he felt like a fool for putting his foot in his mouth. He knew his daughter couldn't get pregnant, and his mind still went there seeing her like that.

After some time, Chelsea exited the bathroom. Bo asked, "Are you feeling any better?"

Chelsea wiped her brow and said, "I don't know what's wrong, but it hit me on my way to work." When Bo sat on the floor, she decided to join him by leaning against the wall and sliding down. "I think I'll be fine."

"I didn't mean to bring him up," Bo released remembering how he asked Chelsea if Ignazio needed a second chance and how Ignazio asked for his blessing before Stefano's last funeral. Regretting it, he made eye contact with his daughter and questioned, "Do you still think about him?"

Ignazio. Chelsea knew that's who Bo was talking about even if he didn't say his name. Wiping her face, she admitted, "I can't help myself. I'm sorry."

Bo shook his head. "You don't need to be sorry. I'm sorry because I didn't realize how serious things were between the two of you." He then backtracked when he realized, "Maybe I did know and just wanted to pretend I didn't."

"What do you mean?"

Bo scratched the side of his mouth with his thumb. He reminded her, "Ignazio asking me for my blessing… that should have been my first clue." Pushing himself through the awkwardness, he wondered, "If Ignazio had proposed would you have said yes?"

Chelsea lifted her knees so she could rest her chin on them. "I'm not sure. Deep down, I knew something was wrong, but I really did want to help him. I…"

"Because of Zack?" Bo interrupted assuming that's where Chelsea was headed in the conversation.

"Zack?" Chelsea questioned before realizing Bo was referring to their conversation about Zack and Stefano when they got the news of Stefano's supposed death. "Oh. You're asking if I still believe I feel this way because of what happened with Zack."

Bo dropped his hand from his mouth wondering if he just made things worse once more. "I don't mean to bring up Zack again, but you brought him up recently, and it makes me wonder if you still hate yourself for what happened." He simply wanted to make sure his daughter wasn't beating herself up about it still.

Chelsea lifted her head and took a deep breath before sharing, "I don't hate myself. I have worked through this, but I guess living in Salem again brought it back unexpectedly – though I should have expected it."

"So what was it with Ignazio then?"

"I sincerely wanted to help him, and I really wanted to be with him. I fell for him." Chelsea hated that even now she still felt that connection with Ignazio. Realizing she never asked, she questioned, "Did you give him your blessing?"

Shaking his head, Bo openly replied, "I didn't because I knew Ignazio wasn't being honest about something."

Looking past her dad, Chelsea shared, "He was honest in the end. He tore himself apart. I know he made his choices, but I know he would have been a better man if Maddalena hadn't been in the picture."

Not liking the look in his daughter's eyes, Bo argued, "There's nothing you can do about that." Pulling her close, he added, "You need to stop trying to make up for your past. You need to move forward and continue your life. You can't let what happened to Ignazio force you to push pause."

Wondering if her father heard anything she said, Chelsea commented, "Ignazio is most likely dead, and I left him there."

"You left him there to make sure Ciara was safe – to help Hope through that entire ordeal," Bo reminded Chelsea. "You can't feel guilty for that. You are not Maddalena. You are not Ignazio. You are Chelsea Brady, one of the strongest and bravest women I know. You are my daughter, and we are so much alike because we both can be so stubborn."

Even though Bo was trying to encourage her, Chelsea wasn't feeling it. "Thanks for…" she started, but she had to stop because she felt the urge to vomit once more. She pulled herself up and rushed into the bathroom. Bo tried to help his daughter, but she told him, "I'm fine on my own."

After Chelsea closed the door, Bo took a step back and leaned against the wall again. He struggled because he wished he had been a part of Chelsea's entire life. He hated the fact that he missed so much.

* * *

 _Saturday, January 4th, 2014_

* * *

With the help of the police force, the Brady family decided to throw Roman's retirement party at the pub. Hope approached Caroline and Roman shortly after arriving. "I am sorry for being late, but Ciara was having one of her pre-teen fits at home. I sent Bo ahead of us, so I don't know if he already told you."

"It's okay," Roman excused his sister-in-law. "Thanks for coming."

After giving Hope a hug, Caroline immediately noted that Gabi and Andrew were having another disagreement. "I need to take care of something," she excused herself wishing she could deal with one of Ciara's fits instead.

After Caroline walked off, Hope solemnly questioned, "How are you handling everything?" She reflected on how her brother-in-law was always on the police force. It would be so odd without him now.

Roman wasn't really feeling this party, but he tried his best to put on a smile. "I'm adjusting and getting a bit restless."

"What are you doing with your time?"

"I'm spending most of it with Ma," Roman shared indifferently.

Hope knew Roman wasn't too happy with his life at the moment. She hoped talking to him would help him out of this funk. "I'm curious to know what you're doing with your time when you're not at the pub." A part of her feared it was either nothing or something unhealthy.

Roman wondered if Hope was searching for something with all of her questions. "I've actually reached out to some old friends," he admitted.

Hope could still see right through Roman's attempts at playing off his resentment on his current situation. Getting serious and real with him, she commented, "Stefano and Maddalena really screwed all of us."

With Hope opening the conversation to the DiMera siblings, Roman shook his head and bitterly confessed, "I should have listened to you and Bo about Maddalena. You two were right, but I let my obsession with Stefano get in the way of that. It's all over now. I have to let that go."

"That's easier said than done," Hope acknowledged remembering the many times Stefano erased her memory while manipulating her identity. "I wish I could have remembered my past with Maddalena sooner. We could have saved Abe."

Thinking about his friend, Abe, Roman couldn't help but reflect on how much he failed him. There was so much shame and guilt there, and he really didn't want to get bogged down in it. When he spotted Kayla and Steve walk in, he saw an opportunity to escape this conversation. "I should say hi to Kayla and Steve. Excuse me."

Anchored in place, Hope continued to think about Maddalena. She wondered if Stefano's sister made it out of the castle alive. Madeline's makeshift diary came to mind. There were so many pages missing, but one thing she gathered from what Chad gave her was the fact that Maddalena was also a victim of Stefano. Struggling with all the uncertain darkness, Hope wondered when everyone would be free from paying for Stefano's actions. What if it didn't stop though? What if Stefano's impact on everyone she knew – and those she didn't – continued to bring carnage for years to come?

Sitting at one of the tables near the entrance, Bo and John sat together discussing the changes at the police station. "I'm happy you're back on the force, John."

John allowed a small smile to fall on his face, but he still lamented, "It's too bad I wasn't named commissioner. My DiMera connection actually worked against me." Turning his attention towards the bar, he studied the new commissioner. "I'm a bit surprised he showed up," he told Bo.

Bo turned around and looked the new commissioner over as well. "The man seems nice enough, but he also seems too young for the job."

Having overheard her husband, Hope took a seat at their table. "The mayor's committee was set on electing someone who didn't have history on the board," she added. "They brought someone from the outside."

John smelled the air around him finally looking away from the commissioner. "I get nervous when outsiders come in and no one seems to know much about them. I did some digging around and found some information on him."

As John proudly nodded his head, Bo lowered his voice and asked, "What did you find?"

John leaned into the table and shared, "We know him as Commissioner Martin Blackburn, but Martin is his middle name. His first name starts with an I, but I haven't found any information on what it actually is." Lightly tapping the table with his knuckles now, he continued, "While finding out he was born in Alaska, I also uncovered he does have a Salem connection. His younger brother used to work for the hospital."

Hope raised her eyebrow. "Who is his brother? Anyone we know?"

"Maybe," John began. "His brother's name is Ian. Ian was tied up in that mess with Stephanie Johnson when she tampered with Parker Jonas's paternity test while she was involved with Philip, Nathan, and Melanie."

Bo and Hope turned their attention to Steve and Kayla, who were talking to Roman.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

At the police station, Bo and Hope found John and immediately began to discuss the situation with Roman. John had some news to share. "My contacts are following Roman's trail since he left Salem in 2014 to see if they can uncover any clues."

Remembering Roman told her he was done committing his life to serving justice to Stefano, Hope said, "I hope he didn't go searching for trouble."

Bo made a ticking noise with his mouth. "We have to do whatever to find my brother."

Commissioner Blackburn walked by overhearing their conversation. Moving past his surprise in seeing Hope there, he quickly cut in and asked John, "How are our actual investigations going? Where is Johnson?"

Since Steve was his partner now, Bo told the commissioner, "Steve is actually out on a case."

Showing his skepticism, Martin asked, "Is he investigating police work or is he looking into Roman Brady's disappearance?" Before anyone could respond, he answered for them. "If you want to look for Roman Brady, you should take a sick day or actually use your day off elsewhere." He made sure to give Hope a look to let her know he was referring to her being here when she had the day off.

When Arianna approached the others to find out what was happening, the commissioner walked off. "Everything okay?"

Bo turned to his wife as he answered, "I am taking the day off because Hope and I need to get answers on where Roman could be."

With an understanding look, Arianna stated, "Do what you have to," surprising Bo.

John made a decision as well. "Arianna and I will stay put so the commissioner doesn't fire all of us. Please keep us updated though."

Hope and Bo agreed. "We will. If you need help with anything while we're out, we can do that for you as well."

* * *

 _Saturday, January 25th, 2014_

* * *

After saying goodbye to Will, Roman arrived to the Brady Pub to say the rest of his goodbyes. As soon as he walked in, Caroline couldn't help but notice her eldest was concerned over something. "Everything okay, son?"

Roman thought about Will's strange behavior with Chad. Something was definitely wrong with his grandson and his grandson's boyfriend, but Roman put it to the back of his mind. "It's nothing," he finally answered. Clearing his throat, he announced, "I'm just thinking about the big change coming in my life."

With a look of wonderment, Bo asked, "Is this big change the reason you asked all of us to meet you here?"

Roman nodded his head before verbally confirming, "Yes. I called you all here because I am headed for Germany."

Caroline smiled and relaxed some. "You need a good vacation. How long will you be gone?"

"I'm not sure when I will come back," Roman admitted.

Trying to read her brother-in-law, Hope spoke, "It sounds like you're actually moving to Germany."

Roman didn't dare hide what he was thinking. "That may be the case."

Caroline's smile soon faded as a look of disappointment covered her face. She was upset with the latest development. "Are you going to be here for Sydney's birthday party? When do you plan to leave?"

Before Roman could answer, Sami and Eric rushed into the pub. "Sorry we're late. I had to drop the kids off at school. What's this family meeting about?"

Everyone looked on silently for a moment before Caroline repeated her last question. "When do you plan to leave Salem for Germany?"

"Today." Roman allowed some time to let the news sink in before he continued, "I've thought about it a lot, and I need to get away from Salem. There's so much reminding me of how much I failed everyone here."

Sami and Eric turned to each other. They had thrown out ideas about why their dad called this meeting on their way over, but this was the last thing they expected. This was serious.

Shaking his head, Bo attempted to get through to his brother. "You are not responsible for what happened. You don't have to leave us in shame."

Roman shook his head now. "I've made up my mind," he released with determination. "I promise I will keep in contact with you. I need to catch my cab." He moved over and kissed Caroline on the cheek to move this along. "Bye Ma."

Caroline stood frozen unsure of what to say or do. She looked at everyone else in the room and could see they felt the same way. This was happening so fast.

When Roman hugged him and his sister, Eric tried to stop his dad because he needed answers. "Dad. How long have you been planning to do this?"

Showing he did not want to answer his son's question, Roman only said, "I'll let you know when I get to where I'm staying. Please take care of yourself and your sister."

"Dad?" Sami released but she did not get a response from her father.

Instead, Roman moved on to his brother. After giving him a hug, he handed his car keys to Bo. "Goodbye brother."

Bo was in shock as well, but he managed to respond. "Goodbye, Roman."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Arriving to the Blake mansion, Bo pushed the doorbell as Hope wondered aloud, "Do you think Peter will be forthcoming with whatever information he has?"

Bo gave his wife an uncertain look. "I'm sure Peter will talk, but the struggle will be if we can trust what he has to say."

The front door opened to reveal Delphi on the other side. "Can I help you, detectives?"

Scratching the side of his face, Bo asked, "Is your husband home? Is Peter here?"

"He is busy," Delphi claimed to get rid of the detectives, but Kristen walked up with a curious look on her face.

Knowing Peter wanted to talk to the police, Kristen was more honest with Bo and Hope. "Peter is not busy. Come in. I'll show you to him."

Delphi, who was annoyed, watched as Bo and Hope entered her home. There was a mistrust between her and Kristen because there were times when she doubted Kristen's loyalty. When Kristen directed the two cops to where Peter was, Delphi decided to go a different way.

Once they arrived to the elaborate study, Kristen apathetically informed her brother, "We have visitors."

Peter looked at the date on his watch and admitted, "I expected you a lot sooner. I know you're here to talk about Roman."

Deciding not to waste time either, Hope stated, "We want to know how you knew Roman wasn't in Germany and that he was M.I.A."

Kristen took a seat and chose to let her brother do all the talking. She wondered what he would share.

Peter purposely shifted in his cozy seat so he could face Bo and Hope head on. "One of Stefano's great-nephews, Alessandro DiMera, informed me of the situation."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Bo suspiciously asked, "How would Alessandro know anything about my brother or his 'situation'?"

"It's a rather long story," Peter coolly started. "…but the gist is that Alessandro was out searching for Stefano and came across Roman several times. He decided to keep tabs on your brother, but I am not exactly sure why. That's how Alessandro knew Roman went missing."

Hope wanted to comment on how this was all too convenient for Peter but decided not to so Peter would continue to cooperate. "Have you talked to Alessandro since he told you about Roman? Is he available to us now?"

Peter shook his head. "I haven't talked to him. Alessandro told me he planned to check on something, but he never reported back."

Unable to remain patient with Peter, Bo skeptically questioned, "Are you pulling our chain here?"

Kristen finally stepped in to say something. "Peter isn't lying. I believe whoever got a hold of Roman now has Alessandro."

"Who could that be?" Hope asked turning to face Kristen. She didn't know what to make of Alessandro's sudden disappearance.

"I have a few hunches, but I wonder if Stefano has finally decided to show his face now," Kristen answered.

Giving a nod to his sister, Peter deduced, "Chad and Will's wedding could be the very thing to bring Stefano back. You know how the man loves his extravagant entrances. I was told Stefano was known to make sudden appearances at parties my parents frequented before he killed my father to adopt my sister and me and take our family's fortune."

Turning to Hope, Bo gave his wife a knowing look. He figured they had gotten all they needed from Peter and Kristen. "We should check in with a few others."

Hope agreed and turned her attention back to Peter and Kristen. "Please let us know if you hear anything else."

"We will cooperate," Peter earnestly claimed.

Once they were outside and getting into their car, Hope pointed out, "Peter almost seemed too helpful."

Bo started the car. "I don't think Peter was lying in there, but I do wonder if he has an angle in assisting us in our search for my brother."

As Bo drove off, Hope's phone suddenly began to ring. It was Shawn-Douglas.

* * *

 _Friday, January 9th, 2015_

* * *

In Belle and Shawn's new condo, Hope opened a big cardboard box and began to unpack a few dishes. Belle came over and shared, "I was looking for those to make sure they made the move."

Looking the dishes over, Hope smiled and declared, "It appears they made it." Putting the dishes down for a moment, she turned around and gave her daughter-in-law a hug. "I'm so happy to have you two back in Salem permanently. It's definitely the best birthday gift ever!"

Belle beamed as she shared, "It all worked out perfectly with Brady keeping me on after buying out Basic Black and Justin opening a position at his law firm for Shawn." Thoughts of Brady entered her mind. She knew she did her brother, Victor, and Titan a favor by selling Basic Black to them to help save their business. She hoped it all worked out.

Walking into the room from the hall, Shawn announced, "I finally got Claire to start unpacking her things in her room."

Moving closer to her son so she could give him a hug, Hope questioned, "When are you meeting with Justin?"

Shawn thought about how he was signing all the paperwork to make his job official today. "In about an hour. When is dad stopping by?"

"He should be here by dinner time," Hope replied before adding, "He's bringing pizzas while Chelsea picks up Ciara from a friend's house after school."

Belle walked over to her fridge and opened it to see how empty it was. "I honestly could go for a snack before dinner."

Hope headed to the table and grabbed her purse. "I can grab something for all of us to snack on while Shawn gets ready for his meeting," she gladly volunteered.

* * *

 _Monday, May 11th, 2015_

* * *

"It feels like old times," Hope cheerfully commented four months later. She and Bo were having lunch with Bo's sister, Kayla, and her husband, Steve Johnson, at the Brady Pub.

With a warm nod, Kayla gleefully agreed. "You better get used to it because Steve and I don't plan on moving ever again." She took her husband's hand on the table and leaned into him.

Bo was happy to have more family back in Salem. It made it feel more like home. "Steve, you have to apply for a job at the Police Station."

"Only if we can be partners again," Steve winked at Bo.

Raising her eyebrows, Hope took Bo's arm claiming, "We may have to fight for Bo."

With a laugh, Steve backed down. "I will let you win this one."

Getting serious, Kayla turned to her brother and asked, "Bo, have you heard from Roman recently?"

Bo answered, "We talked about a month ago, but it was a short conversation. He was only checking in and didn't really ask too many questions." Roman had completely distanced himself and Bo hated how it was impacting Caroline even though she was doing her best to hide it.

Kayla couldn't help but worry about Roman. Letting go of Steve's hand, she leaned on the table and shared, "I got the same from him the last time I talked to him. I think he doesn't want us asking questions."

Continuing to hold her husband's arm, Hope anxiously said, "I wish we knew what he was doing out there."

Placing his arm around Kayla's sturdy chair, Steve mentioned, "I always assumed Roman left to go after Stefano."

Intrigued, Bo asked, "Why would you assume that?"

Kayla traded a glance with Steve as she shared, "It's because of me." When Bo and Hope gave her confused looks, she explained, "I told Roman at his retirement party last year that I saw Stefano DiMera in Germany. I was there during a neurosurgery conference."

"We assumed that's what Roman was doing because of the timing of his departure from Salem," Steve clarified.

Letting go of Bo's arm, Hope divulged, "Roman told me he was done with Stefano."

Nodding her head with a doubt-filled expression on her face, Kayla revealed, "He told us the same, but it always felt odd to me that he left Germany after I told him about seeing Stefano."

Feeling helpless, Bo replied, "I hope Roman wouldn't do something stupid such as going after Stefano alone."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Shawn's call to Hope brought her and her husband to the pub because their son told them Caroline claimed she needed to talk and it was an emergency. Rushing inside, Bo was surprised to find Caroline sitting in a booth calmly waiting for them. "Ma, what is this?"

Caroline remained quiet and simply patted on the table so Bo and Hope would sit. After they sat across from her, she shared, "I don't want anyone keeping me in the dark about Roman. I want to know what you know about _my_ son's business in Germany and how he ended up in Egypt where he disappeared."

Bo wasn't particularly fond of the idea of giving Caroline every little detail. "We don't have definites, but we are piecing things together."

"What pieces do you have," Caroline quickly quipped.

Before Bo or Hope could answer, Bo's phone began to ring. "It's Shane," he quietly announced after glancing at the screen.

Caroline quickly stopped Bo from leaving to answer her son-in-law's call. "Put it on speakerphone," she commanded.

Showing a little hesitation on his face, Bo did as his mother asked since it wasn't official police business. He pushed the answer button and placed it on speakerphone. "Shane. We have you on speakerphone."

Figuring Bo was at the police station, Shane shared, "I sent a team to check out where Roman was last seen in Egypt since I am on my way to the States now. It seems there was a struggle as the place he was staying was completely trashed."

"Have you uncovered any clues that could give us anything?" Hope questioned.

Shane paused for a moment before saying, "I can confirm Roman was after Stefano. According to my team, he's been on this mission since he left Salem more than two years ago. I've left them to continue following any leads, but there's something else you should know. It's a biggie."

Bo, Hope, and Caroline all traded looks. They wondered what else Shane's team was able to uncover.


	28. Victor Kiriakis

**Chapter 28: Victor Kiriakis – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **I** ntuition told Maggie to check in with her husband due to the fact that she hadn't seen much of him since she woke up. When she entered the foyer, she found Victor heading outside for work. Noting his rush, she couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to dodge her. She quickly stepped in front of him and gave him a worried look. "How are you feeling, Victor? We need to talk about the test results."

Victor didn't answer Maggie's question. Instead, he gave Maggie an abbreviated kiss before saying, "I have an important meeting at Titan."

Maggie didn't let Victor leave though. "I am worried about you," she touchingly voiced.

"I have everything under control," Victor firmly proclaimed. Giving her another kiss on the top of her right cheek, he headed out.

Shaking her head, Maggie released a sigh, which Melissa heard as she walked down the stairs. "Mom, everything okay?"

Maggie tried to hold her composure but it was obvious by the expression on her face she was afraid. "Things are not okay because Victor is hiding from me," she admitted.

Seeing an opportunity, Melissa started, "Sarah and I have been talking…"

Maggie put her hand up and stopped Melissa from saying anymore. "If this is about my marriage to Victor, I don't want to hear it. If you and your sister are not comfortable living here, you can find another place to stay. I will help you."

Melissa now sighed in defeat. "I need to check on Melanie and my granddaughter. Sarah should be down soon to head in to Chez Rouge."

Wanting to make sure things were okay between her and her daughter, Maggie took Melissa's hand. "Please give hugs and kisses to Melanie and Makenna for me."

Melissa gave Maggie a hug so she knew things were okay between them. "Of course, mom."

* * *

 _Monday, October 28th, 2013_

* * *

In their bedroom at the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie watched over an ill Victor, who was in bed. "Victor, I'm concerned about you. I'm going to call 911."

With a weakness in his tone, Victor grabbed her arm gently to stop her. "Everything is fine. I think I over did it at the wedding yesterday. Don't worry about me. Do what you need to do at Chez Rouge, and I will just take it easy today."

Since Maggie called for them, Brady and Justin entered the room to look Victor over. "What's wrong?"

Maggie turned to Justin and Brady and pleaded, "Please convince Victor to go to the hospital. I've never seen him this way."

Even in his weakened state, Victor still put up a fight. "I know my own body. I will be fine."

Knowing his uncle could be stubborn, Justin recommended, "We could just have Daniel stop by and check him out."

To get them off his back, Victor moved past the fact that his nephew was talking like he wasn't there and agreed to Justin's plan. "Fine. Make the call. I'm telling you I'm fine though…"

"I'll give Daniel a ring to see if he can make a house call," Maggie decided before leaving the room with her phone.

As Victor wondered why Maggie decided to make the call out of the room, Brady stepped forward to check in with his grandfather. "I think you feel this way because you're dealing with too much stress from what happened in Italy. You never got properly checked out when we returned home."

Remembering how Nico betrayed him over money, Victor thought about how he struggled in trusting anyone these days. Clearly annoyed now, he spouted off, "Maddalena threw my name under the bus and caused so much damage. I want to find that evil bitch and all the other DiMeras involved in her plot and get the revenge I deserve." Hope had filled him in on the details she uncovered from Madeline's diary. Stefano created Maddalena, so as far as Victor was concerned, he needed to go down as well.

Seeing that Victor was wasting energy he did not have, Justin placed his hand on his uncle's arm. "Calm down, uncle. I don't think you getting worked up like this will help you feel better."

Victor took a deep breath and then a moment to calm himself. Turning his gaze to his nephew, he said, "Justin, I have something important to discuss with you."

Raising his eyes, Justin wondered, "Do you need some legal advice?"

Victor denied it right away. "I want you to come work for me at Titan." He was aware of the fact that he needed to hire a new head of security, but he also wanted to protect himself from anything else that may come up now. He needed Justin's legal expertise in case he needed to sue anyone or if anyone came after him and Titan.

Thrown by Victor's proposition, Brady wondered why his grandfather never talked to him about bringing Justin on at Titan. He wondered why Victor wanted Justin to work for him.

Before Brady or Justin could speak, Maggie walked in with Daniel. "Daniel was actually on his way over to visit and arrived before I could even call."

Daniel greeted everyone before asking Maggie, Brady, and Justin for some privacy to look his godfather over. When they left, he opened up his doctor's bag and asked, "Do you have a fever?"

"It's manageable," Victor maintained. "Why did you want to talk to me?"

Daniel got his thermometer and stethoscope out. "I simply wanted to check in with you about Nico. You never told me what happened after you took him into your custody."

After Daniel took his temperature, Victor grunted, "You don't need to worry yourself about that. Nico betrayed me over something so trivial, and so he paid the price."

Daniel began to check Victor's blood pressure. "Maggie told me you have been stressed lately – not yourself."

Victor really didn't want to talk about it, but he still admitted, "I'm having a hard time trusting anyone these days."

"Does that include family?"

Victor didn't answer.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Back in the present, Brady and Victor sat in Victor's office discussing the meeting they had earlier in the morning. Shaking his head in disapproval, Victor stated, "I am not happy with the way things are going with Titan."

"Our stocks are up," Brady tried to remain positive.

Even with that bit of good news, Victor remained dissatisfied. "They're not where they should be." His phone began to ring, and when he saw it was one of the heads of the families, he decided not to answer.

Brady noted the look of discomfort on Victor's face when he looked at his phone screen. He thought about how Sonny asked about Victor's health. "Who is on the phone?"

As the phone continued to ring, Victor chose not to give Brady the answer he hoped for. "It's not important."

Brady grew aggravated with everything. His patience was running thin. "It really bothers me how pessimistic you are. Is there something going on that you're not telling me? Are you worried about the future of the family? Does this have anything to do with your heal…"

"I am as a matter of fact," Victor confessed cutting his grandson off. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss his health. He had an inkling that the investors planned to push him out and that alone was reason enough to keep his health issues a secret. "I'm worried because you are involved with Kirsten and Philip is in la la land." Deciding he didn't want to go further with this conversation because he needed to keep some peace with Brady, he directed, "Now please leave and get to work. I have things I need to accomplish today."

Done with his attempts as well, Brady gladly stood up and left.

With his grandson gone, Victor quickly called the Moroni head back. "You called?"

"Mr. Kiriakis… have you decided what you want to do yet?"

Victor sternly kept an eye on his surroundings. "I need more time to clear things up. Have you talked to Mr. Ptolemy?"

The Moroni head admitted, "We are talking now."

Recognizing they needed an answer, Victor replied, "I will call you back soon."

* * *

 _Saturday, November 22nd, 2014_

* * *

Victor decided to take Maggie to dinner at JoJo's Southern Steakhouse in one of the private rooms in back. As his wife took a sip of her ice water, Victor calmly commented, "It's a nice quiet evening to be out."

Since Victor's decision to take her out happened randomly, Maggie couldn't help but feel suspicious that something was going on. "Victor, I appreciate the gesture, but are we celebrating something? Something has been off about your demeanor for a while now. You've been really quiet."

"I'm simply enjoying the night," Victor coolly claimed.

Adrienne stepped over and asked, "Is everything okay over here?"

"We're fine," Maggie swiftly answered so she could continue her conversation with her husband. After Adrienne walked off, Maggie ardently demanded, "Tell me what you're not telling me. I hope you're not planning on retaliating against the DiMeras after we've finally made peace." She gave him a look to remind him how upset she was with him for shutting her out in his decisions that night and putting her family in danger.

Victor couldn't remain peaceful any longer. With Kristen and Peter now working at DiMera Enterprises, Victor believed the Blake siblings had to have been working for EJ the entire time. "Things can't be over. Peace is impossible." Taking Maggie's hand, he gave her a loving look as he pondered, "Maybe I should let you go so you're not caught in the cross fire. Sarah and Melissa may have been right in that you're not safe with me. You should travel with them like you said you wanted to before we got married. Nathan, Melanie, and their baby could go with you as well."

"Victor Kiriakis," Maggie released firmly to catch his full attention. "I'm not going anywhere, and I will not allow you to push me away. Do I have to remind you that you and EJ made a deal to keep the peace? Do I have to remind you of your conversation with Brady? Delphi Blakelee no longer has the ability to walk. I know how that feels. Even though I am really upset with you, I still love you, and I won't walk away!"

Victor shook his head but maintained, "I remain skeptical that the peace will hold this time." He also had his doubts of handing Titan over to Brady, who overstepped with his attempt on taking charge and running things.

Squeezing Victor's hand, Maggie reiterated, "No matter what happens, I won't leave your side."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Lifting his focus from his desk, Victor was surprised when Bo and Hope stepped in. "What can I do for you two?"

Bo studied his biological father's face and could tell he had a lot on his mind. Even still, he decided to step forward with his and Hope's reasons for being there. "We want to talk to you about Roman and Stefano."

Playing dumb, Victor claimed, "I have nothing to do with the two."

Without a pause, Bo informed Victor, "You can't lie to me because we just talked to Shane on the phone. We know Roman left town to look for Stefano and that after what happened with Kristen and Peter, you helped fund Roman's search for Stefano and even offered him intel."

"When was the last time you talked to Roman?" Hope swiftly asked.

Knowing he couldn't deny it, Victor confessed, "I did help Roman, but Roman stopped reporting to me about a month ago. The last thing I heard from him was how he found some of André's old letters to Stefano. He believed they would lead him to Stefano and that is why he went to Egypt."

Feeling uneasy, Bo shook his head. "I don't like the sound of this at all."

Even though his hands were full, Victor told his son, "I promise I will look into Roman's disappearance and find out if Roman contacted any of my men before he disappeared. If that is all you needed, then I must ask you two to leave so I can return to work."

"Actually, I came by for another reason," Bo revealed remembering how Hope mentioned to him that Sonny was asking about Victor the day before. "Is there anything I need to know about you – health-wise?"

Wary of the fact that his son just flat-out asked him if he was sick, Victor wondered who Bo was talking to. The last thing he wanted was for rumors to spread. "We can talk about that later," he responded before directing them to leave. "I hope I get a visit from Ciara soon."

* * *

 _Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016_

* * *

Earlier in the year, Victor was on the phone in his office. The person on the other side shared news that the company's morale continued to decline even though it had been some time since Peter and Kristen attempted to take over. "There's a mistrust in management, Mr. Kiriakis. Everything we've done to fix this issue has failed."

Reflecting on how Brady stated he was necessary to keep Titan afloat, Victor sighed because the company did not trust him. "What about Basic Black since we bought it from Belle Brady?"

The person allowed an uneasiness to sound in his voice. "Belle's brand seems to be hurting as well since we bought Basic Black. The Titan name is tainted."

Victor ended the call after telling the person he would figure things out. Slamming his hand against his desk, he struggled with the idea of losing his family and everything he had built. He stood up and began to berate himself for letting things get this low. "I've done everything I had to do for my children, grandchildren, and extended family. I sent Kai away for Sonny and that cost me so much money while adding the decline in morale for Titan. I spoiled Philip by giving him everything he ever wanted and then allowed him the freedom to walk away from everything I put into him." His thoughts went to Brady. "Because of Isabella's death, I gave Brady all he ever wanted. Brady actually thinks he's a man who is tough enough when he is anything but. I spoiled them all too much."

Continuing to focus on the downfall of his family, his thoughts went to his nephew. "Adrienne made Justin soft." His focus on the word _soft_ led to Maggie entering his mind. He wondered if he allowed her to do the same to him.

All of a sudden, Victor felt weak. Holding onto his chest, he fell to the ground in his office. He laid there unconscious.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Close to the end of the work day, Kate finally arrived to Titan to meet with Victor. "I apologize for canceling on you the night before."

This was the second time Kate had apologized for canceling on their meeting, but Victor didn't particularly care. Thinking about his conversation with the Moroni head, he said, "All that matters is that we talk now."

Kate attempted to read Victor. "Something is definitely not right with you, Victor. Tell me what this is about."

Victor didn't waste time sharing, "The future is dim." Standing up from his desk, he continued, "I trust you to keep this confidential. I have no one to take my place at the top."

Confused, Kate reminded Victor, "You still have Brady, and you kicked Philip to the curb. You should make peace with your son just as I have made peace with all of my children. It would be the right thing to do if you're worried about the future and your legacy."

With a disapproving look, Victor ignored Kate's advice and argued, "I cannot trust Brady because he's tied to Kristen Blake."

"And why exactly did you call me here?" Kate wondered aloud. "I will keep this confidential, but am I only here for you to have someone to vent to?"

Victor quickly denied it. "I want you to come to Titan and run it."

In complete shock, Kate had to take a moment to process Victor's offer. "Are you serious about this?" She questioned if this was a good idea because she knew most in the company were looking to Brady to take over Titan while wanting Victor out. She also knew that Titan could be a bad investment in that she may not want to tie her name to it at this point in her career.

"I'm dead serious," Victor proclaimed. "I need your answer soon."

Kate continued to study Victor even more. "I get the sense there are other things you need to take care of," she admitted.

Before Victor could say more, Sonny suddenly entered the room wondering what he just walked into.


	29. Gustavo DiMera Toscano

**Chapter 29: Gustavo DiMera Toscano – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **L** oyalty is a dangerous game when honesty and trust are not a certainty in the relationship. Who can be trusted? Who is telling the truth? What angle is being played here? Who is really being played?

* * *

 _Saturday, September 28th, 2013_

* * *

With smoke and destruction around him, Gustavo managed to wander out of the crumbling castle in Urbino, Italy after the explosions first went off. Hearing voices and petrified cries, he mentally told himself he could not be seen escaping the castle because there was no way to know what would happen in someone else's care.

Gustavo had been in someone's care – custody – for a very long time, and he had no intention in going back to that. Ducking and weaving in-between some nearby cars, he spotted onlookers pulling out their phones to contact the proper authorities and report the carnage before them while others recorded video of the catastrophe. When he heard more explosions coming from the castle, Gustavo hid in an accessible alley before looking back to see the damage that had been done.

It was horrible. Debris fell down the sides as parts of the castle sank in. Gustavo thought about the fact that Stefano brought him out of hiding to get to Maddalena even though he promised he would be reunited with his wife. It was all some sort of trick or joke to Stefano and having to hear his wife confess to all those horrible actions only made him feel worse. He hated Stefano for doing this – he truly did.

Knowing Stefano had many lives, Gustavo continued to watch the crumbling building before him and vowed, "I will get my revenge now that I am finally free."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

In Greece, a more put together Gustavo was on the phone almost three years later. "I am pleased to hear you have arrived to Salem. Be cautious and aware of your surroundings. You must remain inconspicuous. I will call you again when I have time."

After ending the call, he looked around to make sure no one was watching or following him. He entered a nearby café and managed to order a drink rather quickly. As he waited for his order, he continued to study his surroundings for suspicious behavior and told himself he needed more answers.

* * *

 _Friday, September 19th, 2014_

* * *

Almost a year after escaping the castle, Gustavo managed to build himself up and land himself in Neive, Italy. He was there to reach out to his son, Nazario. It had been many years since he had seen his youngest son and only knew what he looked like because of pictures he managed to find.

Gustavo followed Nazario until he was alone. With the opportunity available, he made his approach. "Nazario. Figlio."

Nazario turned around and was startled by the old man before him; he was confused why he said _son_ in Italian. "Signore. Do I know you? How do you know my name?"

"It is I, Nazario," Gustavo stated giving his son an earnest look. "Your padre has returned."

Nazario looked deep into Gustavo's eyes before realizing the old man was telling the truth. Rushing to his side, Nazario wrapped his arms around his dad. "Padre, it is really you! Everyone will be happy by this news."

Gustavo hugged Nazario back but quickly separated from him soon after. "No, figlio. This must remain a secret between us for now."

Trying to contain his joy, Nazario frankly shared, "This may be a difficult task considering everyone is searching for you because your body was never uncovered at the castle in Urbino."

Checking his surroundings, Gustavo shared, "I have managed to remain in the shadows to accomplish what I must. Have you heard anything concerning Stefano?"

Nazario denied it. "Stefano has gone into hiding as well," he informed his father.

Not pleased, Gustavo decided to return to something his son mentioned. "Who is searching for me?"

"Your fratello, Ernesto, was searching for you until his sudden death recently," Nazario shared. "There are also some in Salem who are searching for you."

Gustavo studied his son and wondered if anyone had any influence on him. "EJ must be searching for answers and his father since Stefano has gone into hiding."

"You are correct, padre," Nazario confirmed before sharing, "…but there are more who are searching for you in Salem. Recently, I was contacted by Manuel and Arianna Hernandez. They claim they are the illegitimate children of Zio Ernesto."

Intrigued by this new information, Gustavo stated, "I am pleased we have more family members to help build the Toscano family once again. I must know how Manuel and Arianna knew to contact you though."

"It was Alexandra, Stefano's daughter, who told them," Nazario informed his father. "What do you want me to do with them?"

Trying to process a plan, Gustavo decided, "Do nothing for now. I will take care of Manuel and Arianna and contact you again when I need you. Play nice with EJ and Alexandra for now. Let them believe you are on their side."

Realizing his father was about to leave him, Nazario stopped him and said, "Padre, there is something else I need to tell you."

Gustavo turned around and wondered what other news his son had.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After getting his drink, Gustavo took a seat outside of the nearly empty small coffee shop; it was rather late in Greece. He pulled out his phone and called his nephew. When Manny answered, he quickly recognized that Manny seemed to have his hands full with Carter. "It is Gustavo," he informed his nephew. "I will only be short with you so you can return to what you were doing before I called."

When he heard Gustavo's voice, Manny quickly stated, "I am fine to talk for as long as you need." He wanted answers from Gustavo.

Knowing what Manny desired, Gustavo unflinchingly shared, "You will know everything in due time. Soon I will come to you, Arianna, Gabriella, and Dario. I am almost done with what I hope to accomplish."

* * *

 _Sunday, November 2nd, 2014_

* * *

Maddalena was on her way out of her hotel in Paris permanently when the door suddenly opened. She stepped back in shock when she saw Gustavo on the other side, but the surprising look quickly turned into one of great pleasure. "Gustavo. You are alive." She walked over and gave him a hug. Since the last time she saw him, she now recalled how Gina originally told her about Gustavo still being alive and that Stefano faked his death.

Gustavo gave Maddalena a hug, but the embrace was short-lived. "Maddalena there is so much we must discuss." He remembered how Nazario informed him about Maddalena two months prior.

Allowing shame to fill her body, Maddalena looked down as she began to speak. "I have done so many horrible things since I thought I lost you all those years ago." She remembered the shock on his face when they saw each other in Italy the year before. "Tell me what truly occurred when Stefano and miei fratelli informed me you were attacked by a wild animal on your hunting trip all those years ago."

Gustavo's eyes searched Maddalena's entire being. "We will discuss that at another time. Tell me… what happened to you after Stefano and your other brothers faked my death."

Still unable to look into Gustavo's eyes, Maddalena admitted, "The light that once lived in me disappeared for some time. I was lost in my grief and my actions and reactions to life around me fed into a great darkness in the world." She thought about André's involvement with the gardener's son. She could not go there. "I lost André by pushing him away… we have many grandchildren through him. Some now live on the island named after me, but others live across the world. I have their information in a safe place."

"I have caught on to this fact," Gustavo shared.

Maddalena continued, "Stefano kept me away, but I decided I wanted to stop him from continuing his destructive behavior and to bring the light back to the DiMera name as we once dreamed."

"Where did it go wrong?"

"I went too far," Maddalena admitted. "I went too far because I believed this would be my last action before I died because I discovered I was ill. I also discovered, our son, André had created this serum. I used it to keep Antony, Stefano's adopted son, alive to help me. I also rescued some of the other children Stefano threw away to help me in this." Shaking her head, she tearfully confessed, "Even though I brought rehabilitation to a few, I, too, played a role in many deaths, Gustavo. I killed Alexandra's husband and many others including one of our grandsons, Ignazio. I almost caused the family to fall apart and created more darkness due to my zealousness to stop and undo the actions of Stefano. I cannot apologize enough, and I wish I had not become so desperate. I needed you, Gustavo. I missed you so much."

Gustavo stepped forward and kissed Maddalena to calm her fears. Hearing this hurt him so much. "I wish Stefano and Ernesto hadn't kept me away from you."

"And now it is too late for me," Maddalena released in anguish.

"It is, Maddalena," Gustavo reluctantly agreed.

Finally looking into Gustavo's eyes, Maddalena shared, "I took one of the vials to keep myself alive, but this is no life for me. I need you to aid me in ending it when I return to the island of Maddalena."

Gustavo placed his hands gently around Maddalena's neck so he could look deeply into her eyes. "I will," he promised, "…but now is not the time. I give you my word, I will get vengeance for everything that went wrong first, and then I will help you end your life."

Maddalena pulled Gustavo close as he held her in his arms. She wept.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _Wednesday, August 31st, 2016_

* * *

In Egypt, Gustavo walked into a building with a small piece of paper in his hands almost two years after first meeting with Maddalena. "This must be the place," he whispered to himself before throwing the paper away. He headed up the stairs and stopped climbing them once he reached the top floor. Moving to one of the doors, he forced his way in to find Roman working on something in the dark.

Roman quickly reacted by turning around and yelling, "What the hell?" Once he moved around, he recognized Gustavo and pulled out his gun.

Gustavo moved fast and pushed the gun out of Roman's hand. Roman grabbed Gustavo's arm and tried to remain in control of the situation, but Gustavo punched him in the gut pushing Roman back on top of one of the decorative tables.

When Gustavo rushed towards him to grab him, Roman pulled himself up knocking some of his stuff off the table. He charged towards Gustavo and lifted him up to throw him against the concrete wall. Gustavo let out a painful grunt and swiftly elbowed Roman's back causing Roman to fall onto the ground.

Roman did not let up though. He grabbed Gustavo's legs and pulled them from under him causing his foe to fall to the ground as well. Slightly disoriented, Roman desperately pulled himself up and searched the room for his gun. More things fell to the ground due to his search.

Gustavo pulled himself up as well and realized what Roman was searching for. "No," he raised his voice as he went after Roman again. He pushed Roman against the wall forcing Roman to fall on his stomach.

Roman now grunted but briskly turned around before Gustavo climbed on top of him. He struggled with holding Gustavo off though because he was still recovering from getting the wind knocked out of him. "I will kill you!" he managed to release.

Gustavo managed to sit on top of Roman. He did not expect the man to be so strong. Raising his hands, he managed to wrap his hands around Roman's neck and began to choke him out.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

On his way to his hotel room, Gustavo received a call confirming information he had received earlier. Pleased, he stepped into the run-down elevator before pushing the button for the floor his room was on; the light above him flickered as it went up. After exiting the elevator, he found his room and went inside. "I just received good news," he announced. "We are close to finding Stefano."

"That's good," Roman replied with a grin on his face. "Let's get the bastard."


	30. Marco Anthony

**Chapter 30: Marco Anthony – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **L** ifting the final handle of his mother's suitcase, Marco helped Renée with her luggage as they headed outside of the Salem Airport. As he waved down a cab, he suddenly got the sense that someone was watching them. He turned around but didn't see anyone there.

Renée picked up that something was bothering her son. "Everything okay?"

Marco shared, "It's just odd being back in Salem after all this time." Even though he didn't see anyone spying on them, he still couldn't shake the feeling that all eyes were on them already. When a cab finally stopped in front of them, he told his mother, "We should head home and settle in."

Renée agreed as the cab driver began to help them with their luggage. "There is so much to be done."

* * *

 _Sunday, December 8th, 2013_

* * *

Outside of the DiMera mansion, Marco walked around checking the grounds for security reasons. He spotted EJ playing with the kids in the snow near the garden and couldn't help but think about Azzura and the baby she lost before she died. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked himself before trying to shake off his frustration.

To remove himself from this trigger, Marco headed inside the mansion and found Sami and Arianna talking. "Arianna, why are you here?"

Arianna lit up when she saw Marco. "I decided to come by to see if you could grab lunch since you weren't answering your phone."

Marco pulled out his phone realizing he must have left it on silent. "I'm not sure I have the time," he shared as he turned on his phone's ringer.

Butting into the conversation, Sami pushed, "You should go have lunch with Arianna. I can tell EJ you already left. I know he won't mind." Before Marco could respond, Sami didn't give him an option because she headed outside to find EJ to let him know.

With a smile on her face, Arianna commented, "Sami and EJ seem to be treating you very well."

Marco didn't know what to think about it, so he chose not to respond to Arianna's comment. "Where do you want to go to lunch?"

"Hold that thought," Arianna said as she raised her finger. "I want to talk to you about something first."

Marco gave Arianna a questioning look. "Why can't we just talk about whatever it is while we eat?"

Arianna brought Marco's attention to a few pictures in front of them while saying, "I found a picture that reminds me of your mom."

When Arianna pointed out the specific picture, Marco couldn't help but note the familiarity. "This wasn't here before," he noted aloud.

"When I asked Sami about it, she said EJ found some old pictures and decided to bring them out when they began to redecorate," Arianna explained.

Marco looked the photo over once more of Renée. Something told him he needed to tread carefully in what he said. "It's strange for sure, but we should head to lunch while we can."

Noting how Marco shrugged off the picture, Arianna decided not to make it a big deal either. "I am craving pizza," she informed him as she began to walk out. She copped a feel of his butt to get him excited about lunch. Marco smiled.

* * *

 _Friday, December 13th, 2013_

* * *

Arriving to his mother's house, Marco was greeted by Renée with a warm hug. "How are things with Arianna?" she asked.

Marco really liked the fact that Renée was so invested in his girlfriend. "Things are going great, and we continue to grow closer."

"That is wonderful," Renée beamed.

Unable to forget the picture Arianna discovered at the DiMera mansion, Marco decided to bring it up. "Mom. I recently saw a photo in the DiMera mansion that reminded me of you."

Renée stalled for a second trying to decide what to say. She chose to stay mum on the picture pretending she didn't hear Marco. "I have an announcement. I have decided I will be heading out of town after the new year."

Distracted by the news, Marco grew concerned. "Where do you plan to go?"

"I'm not sure yet," Renée indistinctly answered. "I only know I want to travel since I am feeling better now."

"I will go with you then," Marco quipped.

Putting her hand up, Renée denied Marco's request. "No, no. You need to work."

Reflecting on the stress he was experiencing recently, Marco admitted, "I've been thinking about quitting actually."

"No, no," Renée released now showing concern on her face. "You cannot do that either. Though I have my money, and we have managed to save quite a bit, we cannot afford a big change like that. Where would you find work that pays as well as the DiMera family?"

Marco began to shake his head. He really felt as though he was losing himself by working for EJ, but he also didn't want to let his mother down. "Okay. I promise I won't quit."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After arriving to his mother's small house, Marco helped Renée take her luggage to her room. With everything inside, he announced, "I will grab my things and be back to help you unpack." Renée didn't argue with him, so he headed outside to grab his luggage, but before he could, his cell began to ring. "Hello?"

"Are you already back in Salem?" Arianna eagerly asked.

With a glowing grin, Marco shared, "We just got to my mother's home."

Marco could tell Arianna was happy to hear that by the tone in her voice. "I hope we can catch up soon," she said.

"It will happen soon enough," Marco promised, "…but I need to help my mom settle back in."

Arianna replied, "I understand."

Before ending the call, Marco made sure to tell Arianna he loved her. Putting his phone away, he pulled his luggage into the house before calling out to his mother. "Mom, are you hungry?"

* * *

 _Friday, May 30th, 2014_

* * *

To reminisce on one of their first experiences together, Marco and Arianna went skydiving. Afterwards, Marco brought Arianna to his mother's home since he was house sitting while she was gone. "That was such a rush!" He hoped to have some privacy with his girlfriend, but when they walked inside they quickly realized that wasn't going to happen.

Renée sat in her comfortable chair craving the energy they were exuding. "You two look like you just did something very exciting."

Marco was happy to see his mother, but the shock of her return brought a lot of questions to the forefront of his mind. "You have been gone a lot," he pointedly mentioned.

Trying to stay as warm and non-threatening as possible, Renée claimed, "I have something to take care of before I leave again." Turning to Arianna, she requested, "Can I have a moment alone with my son?"

Arianna awkwardly grabbed her own arm. "I actually need to head to work anyway," she shared before turning to give Marco a passionate kiss.

After Arianna left, Renée offhandedly questioned, "Do you not have a job you need to get to as well?"

"I took the day off," Marco defensively shared before revealing, "I have decided I need to quit working for the DiMeras. I cannot do this anymore."

"You can't do what anymore?"

"I don't want to get into it," Marco refrained as he tried to control his anger and disgust towards EJ. He didn't want to tell his mother about Azzura and the baby that was supposedly his.

Renée quickly became upset and impatiently slapped the arm of her chair. She realized she needed to calm herself before she could have this conversation with her son. "You can run away all you want, but you will never get away from the DiMera family."

"What?" Marco was clearly confused. Keeping his cool to be respectful, he complained, "I am tired of you keeping me in the dark on what is happening in your life. I am tired of the way you always tell me how I should live my life. I want to do something for myself for once."

Removing her hair from her face, Renée carefully revealed, "There is something I need to tell you. It concerns the photo you and Arianna found in the DiMera mansion. What you saw is me from a past life that I desperately want back."

Marco ignored his own feelings and took a seat. He was clearly in shock.

* * *

 _Saturday, July 26th, 2014_

* * *

At the DiMera mansion, EJ informed Chad and Lexie that Sami was running late for dinner. "She is stopping by the pub because Caroline wanted to see Julian. Are Dario and Will going to make it?"

Chad denied it claiming, "Dario made plans with Sonny, and Will is having dinner with some of his Kappa brothers who are still in town for the summer."

Turning to his sister, EJ asked, "Where is Theo?"

Lexie didn't get a chance to respond because Marco entered through the side door to hand a piece of paper to EJ. "I am handing in my resignation effective immediately."

EJ, Lexie, and Chad were all shocked. "What is this about?"

Marco didn't show any regret in his decision as he shared, "I need to do something different with my life. I am taking some time off to travel with my mother before figuring out what I want to do next." Even though he now knew his mother's secret, he needed to take charge of his life even if Renée wanted him to stay on at the DiMera mansion.

EJ knew he couldn't let this happen. They needed Marco to stay with them. Trying to make sense of this, he said, "What you need then is a vacation. You should take it, and we can talk after."

"I cannot work for you anymore," Marco released not wanting to argue with EJ about his decision. "I cannot work for the family anymore."

Shifting gears, EJ said, "I recognized a change in you, Marco, but I never commented on it. Have I done something to upset you?"

"I just need to get away," Marco said as he bit his tongue.

Lexie attempted to get through to Marco as well. "We have been through so much together. You have been a big help to all of us."

Marco thought about his relationship with Lexie. She had this way of making him nervous unlike her siblings, but he also respected her differently than Chad and EJ. He took a deep breath before revealing, "After what happened in Italy, I have felt this pull to get away. I have tried to stay, but it's not working anymore."

"What exactly changed?" EJ pushed for more clarity.

Marco really didn't want to delve any further, but EJ didn't make it easy. "I can't live a full life working for you. I have to break free." No matter how hard he tried, he could not stop thinking about Azzura and the baby. The anger was there. "I am a human being who deserves to have a family, too!"

Confused, EJ countered, "I never put that on you, Marco."

Marco argued, "Maybe you didn't mean to directly."

Before EJ could counter back, Lexie quickly grabbed her brother's arm because she noted that Marco only seemed to get more agitated when EJ asked questions. Now in control of the conversation, Lexie said, "Marco, I can tell something happened that you don't want to discuss. Is there anything we can do to help with whatever you're not saying?"

The tension in Marco died down somewhat as he shook his head. "I've stuck around so long because of my loyalty to Stefano and you," he admitted. EJ and Chad exchanged looks as Marco continued, "Even though I know you were in a bad place, Lexie, I appreciate you for being there for… for her. You are the only good one left in the family."

Marco attempted to take his leave, but before he could, EJ called out to him. "What about Arianna?"

Marco remembered telling Arianna he would help her find more information about the Toscano family. He wouldn't have time to check in with her before he left. "She and I will continue to talk," he informed EJ before pulling out an envelope. He handed it to Lexie and requested, "Please pass this along to Arianna since I am leaving Salem today."

After Marco left, EJ shook his head and wondered, "What the hell just happened?"

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After cooking lunch, Marco sat down with his mother at the table. "Have you already unpacked everything?"

Shaking her head, Renée anxiously said, "I am almost done, but that's not what is on my mind at this point."

Marco took a sip of his drink. "Are you thinking about Chad and Will's wedding?"

"Yes," Renée restlessly confirmed. "Tomorrow is an important day for us because I plan to reveal everything at the wedding." It had been a long time since she had fun like that during a big event. She had a craving for high drama and mind games, and she knew tomorrow would feed it.

Noting the grin on his mother's face, Marco voiced, "I still have my doubts this is a good idea."

Renée took Marco's hand and said, "Trust me. It's time we stop hiding. It's been quiet. We are in this together."

"I will take your lead," Marco replied to show he trusted her. "Tomorrow everyone will know who we really are."


	31. Renee DuMonde Anthony

**Chapter 31: Renee DuMonde Anthony – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

"Mom?" After washing the dishes, Marco found his mother sitting on her bed looking at a photo. He walked into her room completely and asked, "What do you have there?"

Renée put the photo away before Marco got the chance to see it. She realized she got lost in what she was doing and didn't hear her son enter the room. "It's only a memory. What are you doing?"

"I just finished the dishes," he announced. "I came to see if I could help you finish with unpacking."

Standing up, Renée turned to her son. "I have it covered. You should go visit with Arianna."

Marco placed his hands on his hips and replied, "I told Arianna we would catch up later."

"You should go now," Renée insisted on it. "I only want you to be happy."

Wondering if there was more to Renée wanting him out of the house, Marco said, "I'll go then."

Once Marco left the room, Renée picked up the photo once more and studied it. "This was so long ago, Tony. So long ago…"

* * *

 _Sunday, October 27th, 2013_

* * *

Sitting at the small but decorative table inside her home, Renée couldn't help but grin at her son and his beautiful girlfriend, whom she had just met. "I want to hear all about your adventure together in Italy. Marco has told me pieces, but I know he is keeping something huge from me."

Arianna felt a tad uncomfortable so Marco stepped in. "I will tell you everything as long as you don't obsess over it."

Renée gave Marco a stern look and stated, "I already know your life was in danger because I do read newspaper and online articles."

Sighing, Marco succinctly shared, "We were in danger, but we survived. Stefano faked his death, and it was crazy to see all of these secrets come out."

"What kind of secrets?" Renée's face lit up. She was clearly interested to know every little detail and was somewhat annoyed her son was set on rushing through this conversation.

Against his better judgment, Marco continued, "Maddalena wanted to take Stefano down. She brought Kristen, Peter, and Tony into the mix."

Hearing Tony's name, Renée's heart stopped, but she did not show it on her face or allow her body to respond. As Marco and Arianna continued to fill her in on what happened, she wondered how this could be possible. After they had finished, Renée eventually commented, "That must have been an ordeal for sure." Internally, she decided she needed to do some digging of her own to verify Tony was indeed alive. If it was true, she would definitely focus on reconnecting with Tony.

* * *

 _Friday, February 28th, 2014_

* * *

Knowing Anna was not home, Renée entered Tony's home overseas and came upon Tony surprising him. "Tony…"

"Renée?" Tony was in complete shock. "Is that really you?"

Enjoying every part of this moment, Renée confirmed it. "I came back for you!"

Trying to process that the woman he loved more than a few decades before was still alive, Tony remembered how André kidnapped him and supposedly killed Renée the night they finally reunited. "How is this possible?"

Renée proudly smirked because she dreamed about this moment for so long. "André faked my death and held me captive for a while. I was p…" She stopped herself from revealing everything and concluded, "I eventually escaped and went into hiding when André was called away."

Tony attempted to process the basic story Renée told him and continued to reflect on his past with her. The odds were always against them. Stefano tricked them into believing they were actually blood siblings when the truth was he was adopted by Stefano after his mother had an affair. Looking into Renée's eyes for a moment, he wondered why she waited so long to reveal herself. Why didn't she come to him sooner? Looking away, Tony thought about Anna and how they were now in a good place. This was such a roller coaster to him.

Interrupting Tony's thoughts, Renée pleaded, "Tony, come back to me."

Tony closed his eyes for a moment to come back to reality. "I cannot do that, Renée."

Unable to accept Tony's response, Renée said, "I will stick around then until I can convince you otherwise."

Tony was still trying to catch up to what was happening, but he still managed to share one bit of information Renée had no clue about. "You have a sister."

"What are you going on about?"

Tony remembered everything Joselyn told him and Anna in Italy. "You have a sister living in Salem named Joselyn – Joselyn Brown."

Suddenly, Renée and Tony heard a door open. Renee knew she couldn't ask any more about this supposed sister when she heard a female voice call out to Tony. Realizing it was Anna, Renée managed to sneak out before she could be seen by her rival. Outside, she entered what she believed to be the same car she arrived in, but when she shut the door, she jumped because someone was waiting for her inside. "What are you doing here?"

Stefano grinned widely as he stated, "I am very happy to know you have decided to come out of hiding." He recently found out what André did to her.

"What do you want from me?" Renée wasn't interested in sharing smiles with her father.

Keeping his smile, Stefano jested, "No time for pleasantries I see even after all these years. I may need Marco's service for good soon. I am searching for a secret lab of André's."

There was no way Marco was going to do anything for Stefano again – especially now that her father knew her son was connected to her. "I don't know anything about André's secret lab."

Stefano became serious with his daughter. "Keep Marco away from Tony," he warned. "Do not do anything stupid. I will see you soon to collect on what I need from you and Marco."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

With her unpacking completed, Renée looked through her closet and remembered when she had so much more. "I will have that again," she whispered to herself. "I will get my life back."

Closing her closet door, Renée headed over and grabbed her cell phone. She called Tony.

"Renée…" Tony answered. "I don't have a lot of time to talk because I am expecting a call from Anna."

Knowing that Anna was out-of-town house sitting for Carrie and Austin, Renée said, "I only called because I wish I could see you again soon." She thought about how she tried to convince Tony into attending the wedding with her. She wished he had decided to come.

Tony softened a bit as he replied, "I am happy you made it back to Salem safely, but I do have something I need to tell you."

"What is it, Tony?"

Tony cleared his throat and shared, "I received a mysterious text today. I believe it is Stefano reaching out again."

Suddenly overcome with fear, Renée had to sit on her bed. Shaking her head, she released, "That bastard."

* * *

 _Sunday, March 20th, 2016_

* * *

Even with Stefano's threats more than two years before, Renée never gave up on Tony. It took some determination, but Renée finally got what she wanted – at least part of what she wanted. She and Tony were secretly meeting and had started having an intimate affair. As she and Tony were getting dressed, Renée turned to Tony and said, "Come back with me to Salem to help me take what is rightfully mine."

Tony finished buttoning his shirt and answered, "I cannot go because I am finished with the DiMera business and family." Hearing a noise, Tony glanced out the window of their secret rendezvous and spotted Marco in his car. "Your bodyguard has arrived," he told Renée.

Renée looked out the window and spotted her son. She turned to Tony thinking about how he wanted nothing to do with her family. Taking a breath, she told herself the timing wasn't right. She needed to continue to pull Tony away from Anna. Giving Tony a kiss, she declared, "We belong together, Tony. You and me."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

In the dining room, Renée drank coffee as she reflected over Stefano's reaching out to Tony. She wondered if she would be next and reflected on what her father said to her in the limo. Clenching her hands, she wished to be rid of Stefano because he needed to be out of the picture if she was going to succeed in what she hoped to carry out.

Marco returned after meeting with Arianna. "I'm back." He walked over and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek to properly greet her.

Coming out of her thoughts, Renée tried to smile as she asked, "How was your visit with Arianna?"

"Great," Marco answered. He thought about how he was able to be honest with Arianna about some things before noting, "You're drinking coffee earlier than you usually do."

Renée allowed a nervousness to show on her face. "I am considering not going forward with my plan."

"What changed?"

"We need to head out-of-town again."


	32. Frank Mattias

**Chapter 32: Frank Mattias – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **O** n his laptop, Frank sat in the guesthouse working towards finding Stefano. He was using the information he gathered from Cameron's text message as well as information from the package sent to Chad and Will. "I feel like I'm so close to cracking this code," he said under his breath. Even though he didn't agree to it, he knew EJ wanted him to keep Chad in the dark about anything he uncovered in his search for Stefano. Will requested the opposite, and he told Will not to worry. In the end, he knew EJ couldn't get what he wanted because finding Stefano at any cost was most important.

Needing additional assistance, Frank decided to call Chad. Unfortunately, he did not answer. "Maybe he's still asleep," he hypothesized. To make sure he did not assume anything, he called one of the DiMera men assigned to stay on Chad and Will's property in case any other suspicious behavior occurred after the package from Stefano arrived. When the man answered, Frank asked, "Have you seen Chad at all today?"

"I have," the man answered. "Chad told me earlier that he was headed for Lexie's house."

Frank thanked the man and ended the call. He glanced one more time at the information before packing up some of his things. He decided to head for Lexie's house.

* * *

 _Monday, December 15th, 2014_

* * *

At the Brady Pub more than a year and a half prior, Frank sat at a booth alone with a drink in front of him and another drink placed across the table. He picked up his glass and cheered the other drink. "I made it to the notorious Brady Pub and got your favorite."

Coming out from the back, Gabi tried her best not to think about Nicholas as she delivered food to Chad, Will, and Cameron, who were sitting on the opposite side of the pub as Frank. After making sure she gave everyone everything they had ordered, she turned and spotted Frank drinking alone with the extra glass still full. Returning her attention to her three friends, she said, "I feel bad for that soldier because I think he got stood up." Deciding to check on the guy, she said, "I'll be back to see if you need anything else."

Gabi headed for Frank and presumably asked, "Are you still expecting someone?"

Frank eyed the full glass across the table. "I wish, but the drink is for a friend I lost."

Realizing her mistake, Gabi quickly apologized. "I'm sorry I assumed… I'm sorry for your loss."

Frank looked at Gabi and studied her dark long hair before noting her name tag. Returning his eyes to hers, he revealed, "The friend I lost was originally from Salem, and I actually just got done telling his family the news. It was tough."

Without thinking, Gabi sat across from Frank. "Do you mind?"

"I don't," Frank gladly replied.

Gabi's heart was beating rather fast. "Who was your friend? Maybe I know him?"

Frank bit his lip before sharing, "My friend's name was Tad, but he went by T." He made sure to study Gabi's reaction to his revelation.

Stunned by the news, Gabi sat back before suddenly standing again. "I… I will be right… I will be right back." She headed over to Chad and Will and struggled as she said, "You… you need to come over and meet this guy. He just…" The news was just too much to process for Gabi. "He told me something…"

Noting the seriousness in Gabi and how flustered she was, Will didn't hesitate to follow her over to Frank's booth. Chad and Cameron came over as well.

Gabi didn't sit down this time. "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name. We all knew T, well, Cameron didn't…"

As Will and Chad wondered why Gabi would bring up T, Frank sighed and said, "I'm sorry. My name is Frank Mattias. T and the other guys knew me as 'Frank from Pittsburg'. T was a great guy. I was stationed with him, and we became friends fast."

Noting the tense Frank was using, Will swallowed hard as he questioned, "Is T… Is T… dead?" When Frank gave Will a firm nod, Will felt his heart drop. All his memories of his long-time friend played heavily through his mind, but then he remembered the last time he saw T. He wasn't in such a good place at that time. How could he be gone now? How was this possible? "What… what happened?"

Frank looked at Gabi wondering if she wanted to hear this as well. It seemed she wanted to. Turning his focus on the full drink across the table from him, he revealed, "There was an explosion… and T was just… gone…"

Chad quickly wrapped his arms around Will to comfort him. "I can't believe this." He was devastated as well and remembered the last time he saw T in Texas. He was so happy then, but now he was just… gone.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Frank rang the doorbell at Lexie's house once more. He waited only for no one to answer still. Glancing at his phone, he wondered if Chad went somewhere else with Lexie since he didn't see Chad's car there. As he noted the time, his phone suddenly rang. He answered quickly, "Chad…"

"Sorry," Chad began. "I didn't realize you called because I left my phone in my car when I wasn't in it. Do you have news on Stefano?"

Frank turned his back to the house. "I don't have concrete information, but I want to talk to you because I may need your phone."

Chad didn't have a problem helping. "Lexie and I are at the hospital if you want to come this way."

"I will see you soon." Frank hung up and slightly limped towards his car when Manny walked up with Carter. "Manny… Carter."

Manny watched as Frank gave Carter a high-five. He noted the closeness between them before asking, "Did you just talk to Lexie inside?"

Rubbing the top of his head, Frank shared, "Actually, Lexie is at the hospital most likely checking in on Theo."

Surprised by the news, Manny admitted, "I had no idea Theo was in the hospital. Thanks for letting me know."

Frank watched as Manny and Carter left. He got in his car, started it, and left for the hospital.

* * *

 _Thursday, December 18th, 2014_

* * *

In uniform, Frank sat towards the back of St. Luke's. From his seat, he could watch almost everyone who attended T's funeral while having an internal conversation with his deceased friend. "Seems like everyone came together to celebrate you, T… even your parents. I know you didn't have a great relationship with your mom and dad in the end, but your parents are definitely realizing their mistakes now. They genuinely seem heartbroken, which I guess shouldn't be a surprise because you were such a great guy."

Reflecting on his own grief, Frank tried to remain strong for his friend. He looked over and immediately noted the way Chad and Will were holding each other. He couldn't help but smile remembering what T had shared about them. "You were right, T. They really do love each other." He then spotted Gabi and Carter. For some reason, she kept staring at T's parents.

Dario leaned into his sister and whispered, "Are you okay?"

Gabi tried to keep Carter still in her lap. "I just have a lot of questions running through my mind," she admitted. Before Dario could ask, she clarified, "I don't want to talk about it though."

Dario quietly turned to Sonny, who sat on the other side of him. He noted Sonny couldn't keep his eyes off Kai. Leaning into his boyfriend, he managed to catch Sonny's attention. "A penny for your thoughts…"

Sonny stopped staring at Kai. "It's weird that T is gone," he faintly shared with sadness. He didn't want to admit to it, but he was thinking about T and Kai's kiss. There was so much guilt and shame connected to Kai, and it was very overwhelming. Shaking his head to escape the pain from those memories, he took Dario's hand to hold.

Frank turned his attention back to Father Felix, who was sharing what others told him about T. "We have one person who wanted to share something about Tad personally. Will Horton, will you please come up here now?"

Will removed himself from Chad and came forward. Avoiding any eye contact with T's parents, he cleared his throat before speaking. "I was fortunate to know T for most of my life," he began. "There was a time that sticks out to me the most. When we were kids at school, there was this competition he really wanted to win because the grand prize was a laser tag party. I guess he always wanted one and begged me to learn this dance with him. I knew I couldn't say no because it was really important to him, so we practiced day and night, on the weekends, at recess, whenever we could find time…" Will smiled thinking about the past, but he wasn't feeling all that happy because of the circumstance in which he was sharing this story. "T and I didn't win that competition, but T and I did go to laser tag. He made sure he befriended everyone in the competition so that whoever won, we would get an invite. That's who T was. T and I always had each other's backs and always pushed each other to get what we wanted."

Frank felt a rush come over him as Will made eye contact with him. Will continued, "I hope T never stopped believing in doing what was right. I hope he never gave up on being everyone's friend and caring about anyone he came into contact with."

Frank smiled and thought about how T stayed true to himself in the end. He died trying to save lives.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Frank managed to find Chad at the hospital and led him into an empty waiting room to talk in private. "I want to know everything even if it's not concrete because I want to make sure Stefano doesn't get a chance to mess up anything," Chad started off the bat.

Understanding Chad's anxiety with the situation, Frank complied immediately. "I believe Stefano is somewhere in Europe because that is where the package and text messages seem to have come from. The only issue is that they came from different countries. He could be somewhere in Europe, but it's possible he is covering his tracks well and throwing us off by making it seem he's somewhere in Europe. One thing I know for sure is that he's not in Spain even if Cameron's text supposedly came from there. The men I sent to scout the area reported Stefano wasn't there."

"So what can I do to help?" Chad asked. "You mentioned needing my phone."

Deciding to make this simple, Frank said, "I want to use your phone to text Stefano and then use Cameron's phone as well to see if I can follow the signals. At that point, I should be able to determine if they go in the same direction or to different places."

Figuring Frank knew what he was doing, Chad agreed and said, "I'm supposed to talk to Cameron anyway. He's here working a shift actually." He pulled out his phone and remembered, "What about Kate? She received a text from Stefano last night as well."

With a disappointing sigh, Frank revealed, "I tried to contact Kate after last night, but she's not taking my calls."

"Don't worry about Kate," Chad replied remembering Rex and Cassie got into town the day before. "I will get her to cooperate. For now, we should check in with Cameron."

As Chad sent Cameron a text to tell him where they were, Frank was happy to hear that Chad would help him with Kate.

* * *

 _Tuesday, January 13th, 2015_

* * *

Walking with a limp through Horton Town Square with Will, Frank admitted, "I really like Salem. I'm considering making my stay a more permanent one."

Will was a bit surprised by Frank's admission. "I thought with you being honorably discharged, you would for sure return home to be with your family."

Shrugging his shoulders, Frank stated, "Things are good between me and my family, but I don't want to move back to Pittsburgh. I need to find a job though, and I'm not sure I want to work for the post office."

Offering his help, Will said, "I can help you find another job if you need me to."

"Thanks, Will. That would mean a lot." T was definitely right when he told Frank that Will was a great guy.

"Anytime," Will said with a smile before realizing it was getting late. Showing urgency in his face, Will released, "I need to head out. We can talk later."

With a nod, Frank said, "For sure." He placed his hands in his pockets as he reflected on how it felt as though he was still with T when he was around T's old friends. He still missed him terribly.

After Will walked off, Frank spotted Gabi and Carter and decided to say hi. "How are you two doing?"

Gabi answered Frank's question and shared, "I'm a bit surprised you're still around."

"I really like Salem," Frank claimed before saying, "I noticed the way you were at T's funeral."

Grabbing Carter's hand, Gabi remembered the way he watched her throughout the day of T's funeral and said, "I don't know what you mean."

Frank noticed how Gabi grabbed Carter's hand. "You kept looking at T's parents and holding Carter close like you are now. I apologize if I am off base, but I have to say that Carter reminds me of T for some reason."

Gabi realized what Frank was asking and did not answer right away. She stalled and tried to read him. "Why are you still in Salem again?"

Frank took a step back mentally and realized Gabi wanted to know if he was a threat. "Does T's parents know? Don't worry, I'm not in the business of outing others' secrets. T told me a lot about his life in Salem and how his parents disowned him." Noting how Gabi seemed to relax some, Frank chose to reveal the truth about something else. "To be more transparent, you should know I knew who you were before I saw you at the Brady Pub because of what you posted online. You were trying to find T, and I decided to reach out to you and tell you about T personally."

Seeing a genuine look on Frank's face, Gabi finally admitted, "Carter is T's son, and no, his parents don't have a clue." She remembered posting online hoping to contact T after she got custody of Carter because she believed he deserved to know his son, but she never thought she would get an answer because that was so long ago.

Deep down, Frank thought about how T never knew he got Gabi pregnant. He realized why Gabi was looking for T in the first place. "From what T told me about his parents, I understand why you would keep that secret."

"Thanks for not telling them," Gabi replied hoping that's what Frank intended to do. After he nodded, Gabi said, "I should go. We have some shopping to do."

Frank stepped back as Gabi walked off with Carter. Since he was alone, he decided he should head out as well. Walking towards the parking lot, he caught another man clearly staring at him. Frank wondered why the man was so obvious about it, but before he could do anything, a young woman bumped into him. "Sorry, mam," he released with his attention now on the person in front of him. He glanced back up and realized the guy, who seemed so interested in him, was now walking away.

Kinsey, who purposely bumped into Frank, looked him up and down. "Are you T's friend?"

"Who is asking?" Frank wondered completely thrown to hear T's name from the woman in front of him. He did not know who Kinsey was.

With a smile, Kinsey said, "I am a friend of T's, and I heard about the news of his death. I have a few questions for you about how the army takes care of dead soldier's children. There's money involved, right?"

Unable to shake how suspicious Kinsey was being, Frank repeated his question, "Who is asking?"

Kinsey spied Gabi and Carter in the distance and shared, "I'm only a concerned friend."

Scratching his head, Frank didn't know what to say to Kinsey at first. Something in him told him not to trust her. "If you're curious and concerned for a friend, I am sure you can google the answer you're looking for."

"Thank you for your service," Kinsey sarcastically released before walking away. She was clearly annoyed.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

When Cameron joined them, Frank explained how he planned to track Stefano's location once again. Realizing more of what this would mean, Chad admitted, "I'm not too keen on giving you my phone for the day because I have so much to do before the wedding tomorrow."

"I promise I will get your phones back to you by the party tonight," Frank assured.

Knowing he needed to help in stopping Stefano, Chad sent a quick text to Will and Dario to tell them the news. "Will told me earlier that Kate has plans to go to Salem Place for a hair appointment if you want to talk to her in person."

"Thanks," Frank replied.

Cameron handed his phone to Frank and said, "I will see you tonight then." He hoped he wouldn't need his phone until the party.

After Chad handed his phone over, Frank thanked them both. "I will know where Stefano is in no time."

Rubbing his arms, Cameron said, "I just want to do what I can to make sure Stefano doesn't ruin anything."

Hating how his life always came to this, Chad wished Stefano had died on the pier years ago. He strongly affirmed, "Stefano can try to ruin our lives again but he won't succeed."

"I'll see you tonight," Frank said before turning towards the exit. His phone began to ring on his way out.

* * *

 _Sunday, February 1st, 2015_

* * *

In the living room at the DiMera mansion, EJ and Sami were interviewing Frank for Marco's old position. "Your experience and connections are definitely a positive for me," EJ admitted.

Sami agreed. "Thank you for your service. I remember how T and Will would have sleepovers as kids all the time. I know your connection with T is definitely a plus in my book."

"Thanks," Frank let out a bit nervous about this opportunity.

With a nod, EJ added, "Chad and Will both recommended you and had nothing but good things to say. We really do need a new head of security after what we've been through the last six months."

Showing a bit of confidence, Frank declared, "I promise I am up for the job if you want me to take the position."

EJ hated bringing it up but still thought it was important. "What about your left leg? I know you were injured while you were overseas."

Frank remained confident. "I promise it won't be a problem. After surgery, I worked hard with the physical therapist that my family paid for. I do have a slight limp, but it's barely noticeable."

"I don't doubt it," EJ said, "…but I want to cover something else with you." As Frank got a bit nervous again, EJ continued, "It is important we build a trust with each other. If there's ever a problem, we need to be able to discuss things openly. I don't want any secrets between us. Also, if you have ideas or suggestions, I want to hear them as well."

"I can do that," Frank stated firmly.

Standing, EJ offered his hand to Frank and said, "Well if you want the position, it is yours."

Sami stood up also as Frank shook EJ's hand gladly accepting the offer. "I will start to move my things into the guesthouse."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Back at the guesthouse now, Frank was on his laptop working while also talking to someone on the phone through his Bluetooth earpiece. "I love you, too," he released when EJ suddenly arrived.

"I need an update," EJ calmly requested.

Frank ended his phone call quickly. He stood up and hobbled over towards his boss and said, "I sent a few texts via Chad and Cameron's phones. I've managed to trace the signals to different places in Europe, so things are definitely iffy." Noting the uncomfortable look on EJ's face, he apologized, "I am sorry about going to Chad and Cameron, but I figured this was something we needed to do to get to Stefano faster."

Moving past this, EJ conceded, "I trust your judgment, but run it by me next time."

Frank agreed.

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes," Frank confirmed. "I got a response to Chad's phone, and I believe it was from Stefano because it mentions the video."

EJ moved closer to Frank. "Let me see it."

Frank grabbed Chad's cell phone and showed the text to EJ. "I responded as well. I'm hoping he will reply again."

Shaking his head, EJ hated this. He showed more of his anxiety as he stated, "I wish I knew where he was so I could take care of this and be done with it."

"I am still following the signals," Frank positively shared. "I also sent them to a contact to see if she could help me figure out where the messages are really coming from."

With a nod, EJ said, "Thank you for working so diligently on this." He hoped they would have answers soon.

Taking Chad's phone back, Frank studied his boss. "There are a couple of things I'd like to run by you if you have time."

"I do," EJ corroborated. "What do you have?"

Frank remembered what Will asked him the night before. "Has Stefano tried to contact you?"

EJ paced across the room as he continued to think about his father. It was odd to him that he hadn't received a text message, package, or anything else from Stefano. "I have not. Does that worry you?" He could see the discomfort on Frank's face.

Frank attempted to deny it and decided he should move on to the next piece of business. "After I talked to Chad and Cameron at the hospital, I received a call. It seems Marco has returned to Salem."

Surprised by the news, EJ returned to Frank's side. He wondered if he should approach Marco to see if he had been in contact with Stefano. "Where is he now?"


	33. Abby Ackles

**Chapter 33: Abby Ackles – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **N** ibbling on a piece of toast, Abby sat at the table in her condo and watched as Josh put the dishes he used to make breakfast away. She was happy they would get to spend most of the day together, but she couldn't help noticing that something was off because he was nowhere near her. "Why aren't you eating with me?"

Josh stopped what he was doing and casually replied, "I'm not very hungry, but I didn't want that to stop me from spoiling you."

Placing her hand on the table near the empty chair next to her, Abby suggested, "You should sit and relax with me then. You do know I appreciate you spoiling me, so let me do something for you as payback for everything you have done. How about a back massage?"

Josh dried his hands. "I need to take care of something right quick, and then I'll be all yours." He walked over and gave Abby a kiss on the cheek before heading out of the room.

Abby dropped her piece of toast on the plate in front of her. She hopelessly sighed because Josh left her to wonder why he had become so distant lately.

* * *

 _Saturday, October 19th, 2013_

* * *

At the Horton house, Abby and Josh sat together on the familiar couch after finishing a movie. Cuddling next to her then boyfriend, Abby said, "I just realized I never talked to you about your time in Georgia."

Josh shrugged his shoulders and surmised, "There's not really much to say about it."

"How did things go with your parents?" Abby questioned.

Josh leaned his head on Abby's as he answered, "My dad is better. He and my mom are still working the family business."

Placing her hand on Josh's bare leg, she continued with the questions. "Did you sort things out with them about not running or working for the family business?"

Getting a little anxious, Josh audibly sighed, "They know I'm not following in their footsteps."

"How did you convince them?" Abby wondered. "I know they really didn't see your desire to be an entertainer as a good career step."

"I proved to them I could make a living from it," Josh answered vaguely.

"Before or after the concert for Will?"

"Why are you asking all of these questions?"

Abby separated herself somewhat from Josh so she could look into his eyes. "I'm only making conversation, and I'm wondering if you regret leaving Georgia behind."

Looking right into Abby's blue eyes, Josh passionately maintained, "I definitely didn't leave anything back in Georgia that I want to keep."

"Did you have an outlet while you were there?" Abby returned to the questions. "Did you perform or anything?"

Josh suddenly got a bit awkward and broke eye contact. He hoped that being romantic and sweet would distract Abby from the questions. "I did some jobs here and there, but I didn't really have the time to commit to those things. I'm happy where I am now, and the jobs I did in Georgia weren't exactly the best."

"Why?"

Josh continued to look away from Abby as he awkwardly shared, "Well, I had my parents watching my every move, and that made it hard for me to really get into it." He cringed inside thinking about the jobs he did in Georgia to escape the stress of his parents and the family business. He desperately missed the entertainment business. Making eye contact with Abby once more, he reiterated, "I'm happy I'm in Salem again with you. I'm pleased with my job at The Chill. Are you happy?"

Recognizing that Josh had turned the table onto her, Abby confidently smiled and said, "I am."

Josh felt Abby lean back and relax. Silence hit and he believed she was done with this conversation. He believed he could relax now.

Abby suddenly patted Josh's leg and playfully lightened the mood by saying, "I'm ready to get back to packing. My questions were my way of stalling because I was enjoying our break."

Realizing his girlfriend wasn't digging for anything specifically, Josh kissed Abby before replying, "I'm happy we found a place together."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Still sitting at the kitchen table, Abby noted the time on the clock above the stove and wondered what was taking Josh so long. What exactly did he need to take care of? She grabbed her phone and began looking through the proofs she emailed her mother earlier in the week. Maybe she could finally show them to Josh. As she swiped through the pictures, her phone began to ring. "Hey Chelsea," she answered.

After greeting her friend, Chelsea asked, "Do you want to come over and hang out for a bit?"

Since Josh was taking so long, Abby agreed. "Sure. Give me some time though because I need to get dressed. I can use some friend time outside of the condo."

Chelsea was happy Abby agreed and let Abby go.

Pulling herself off the chair, Abby grabbed her dish and placed it in the sink before heading for her bedroom to change. As she looked through her clothes, she decided to call her father. After putting the call on speakerphone, she placed her phone down.

"Abby… how are you feeling?" Jack answered after a few rings.

"I'm fine," Abby replied; she was a bit distracted because she was focused on choosing what to wear. "Are we still on schedule to meet and pick up JJ?"

Jack answered, "We are. I talked to your mom about it earlier."

"Speaking of mom," Abby began, "How was dinner the other night?"

Jack kept his answer short. "We focused on your brother." He realized Abby wasn't with Jen because of her question, so he asked, "Why didn't you go to brunch at Chez Rouge. Your mom told me the family was meeting there to celebrate Will."

Abby continued to go through her closet as she shared, "Josh and I had breakfast…"

Jack returned the conversation to JJ. "Is Josh going to join us today?"

Abby picked out a shirt she could wear. "I don't think so because he's been busy." She was glad she didn't tell her dad that Josh had the day off.

"I hope he has been busy spoiling you," Jack playfully stated though he hoped it was still true.

Trying to stay positive, Abby shared, "He's been doing that for sure."

* * *

 _Sunday, March 6th, 2016_

* * *

Walking into the Horton house with Josh, Abby anxiously asked her fretful mom, "Where is JJ now?"

Jen rubbed the top of her head because she was wrought with stress. "He is in his room staying to himself. I'm struggling because he hardly comes out to eat anymore."

"I'll go talk with him," Abby said after giving her mother a hug.

Josh grabbed Abby's hand before she headed upstairs. "Do you want me to go with you?"

Abby held onto Josh's hand and gratefully released, "Sure."

As Abby led Josh upstairs, Jen watched from the foot of the stairs. "I really do appreciate the both of you coming over like this," she said before returning to the kitchen.

Upstairs, Abby and Josh entered JJ's messy room and found him in bed under his blanket. He didn't want to be bothered. Sitting on her brother's bed, Abby attempted to get JJ talking. "Tell me what's going on. I want to help you." JJ remained quiet, so Abby continued, "Remember how therapy helped us in the past? Communication is key."

JJ tossed in his bed and remained silent, so Josh decided to take a crack at it. "Are you too embarrassed to talk about it?" JJ remained still and quiet. "There are things in my past that I'm ashamed of that I don't like to talk about because I know people will look at me differently," Josh unexpectedly admitted.

JJ suddenly perked up and actually spoke. "Like what?"

Surprised that this actually worked, Josh tried to hide his awkwardness when he made eye contact with Abby. Abby stood up and patted Josh on the back to encourage him to continue while showing her appreciation as well.

Josh nervously stepped forward. "There were times when I was younger that I did stupid stuff to get my parents' attention. They wanted me to be one way, but I tried to rebel against them because I wanted to prove I was old enough to make my own decisions. Sometimes my decisions got me in trouble but that's how I learn."

JJ began to reflect on his own situation with drugs. "I struggle because my family expects me to be this great person. My dad especially thinks I need to be a far better person because he wasn't. I want to be a good guy, but it's hard making the right choices to be a good person in the world and impact it in a good way. It's really hard to live up to that when everything is so messed up in life."

Surprised to hear JJ was struggling with all of this, Abby asked her brother, "What do you think is messed up?"

JJ clammed up once again. "I don't want to say any more about that. Are you two staying for dinner?"

Taking Josh's hand, Abby said, "We will if you come down and eat with us." She decided to allow her brother to go at his own pace and was happy that it seemed they at least accomplished getting JJ to leave his room to eat.

"I will," JJ answered. "I need to put on some pants first."

After a laugh, Abby and Josh left JJ's room to give him some privacy. Abby appreciatively gave Josh a hug. "Thanks for helping with JJ."

Kissing Abby's forehead, Josh said, "Of course."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Dressed now, Abby grabbed her purse and placed her phone and wallet inside before taking a deep breath. She rubbed her protruding stomach, spotted her developed proofs, and remembered she wanted to show them to Josh. With the proofs in her hand, she walked out of the room and suddenly stopped in her tracks when she heard Josh's voice coming from the blue themed nursery. Peering inside, she could see and hear Josh having a heated argument with whomever was on the phone.

"You don't want to screw with me!" he raised his voice before ending the call.

Seeing that he had finished his conversation on the phone, Abby entered the nursery full of concern and asked, "What is going on, Josh?"

Josh jumped because he didn't know Abby was there. "Oh, it's just business," he claimed noting she had her purse in her hand. "Are you going somewhere?"

Abby wondered if Josh was truly upset over something that had to do with work. "I'm on my way out to hang out with Chelsea, but if you want to do something…" She tried to rub his shoulders with her free hand as she spoke.

"No," Josh interrupted awkwardly moving away. "You should go out and have friend time." Moving closer again, he kissed Abby on the cheek and said, "I will talk to you later."

Suddenly feeling a bit sick to her stomach, Abby decided not to put up a fight. She realized she was feeling very dismissed and shut down on her husband. "Talk to you later."

* * *

 _Friday, April 22nd, 2016_

* * *

Walking out of the general store located in the Horton Town Square, Abby came across Ezra, Peter, and Delphi. Even though she was not a fan of Peter, she decided to play nice for Ezra's sake. "Hey."

Peter, who stood behind Delphi's wheelchair, said, "We'll give you some privacy to catch up. We'll find a table in Mandalay Café."

After his parents left, Ezra gave Abby an awkward smile. "How are you doing?"

Abby wasn't sure why Peter felt the need to give her and Ezra some privacy, but she wasn't going to make this more awkward than it needed to be. "I'm fine. How are you doing? I thought you'd be halfway around the world by now since you planned to travel after we finished school."

With a bob in his head, Ezra claimed, "Well, I enjoy my work with the mayor, so I'm staying here to see where that takes me. I'm doing a lot better now that I've gotten closer to my family." Rubbing the top of his head, he asked, "How was your birthday?"

"It was great." Even if she didn't believe Peter was capable of having a healthy relationship with anyone, Abby still smiled and said, "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," Ezra said with gratitude. "Are you happy with how things turned out in your life?"

"I am," Abby answered feeling a bit weird by Ezra's question. She remembered how her mother said he apologized to her hinting to what Peter did.

Ezra was glad to hear that too. "I should go."

"So should I." Abby took a deep breath and headed for her car. Pulling out a pregnancy test from one of her shopping bags, she raised her eyes and said, "I hope I can stay happy."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Opening the door, Chelsea smiled when she saw Abby. She gave her bestie a hug and noted rather quickly something was off. "You have that look on your face that tells me something is definitely wrong."

Showing great exasperation, Abby admitted, "Chels, I'm worried Josh is keeping something from me – something big."


	34. Chelsea Brady

**Chapter 34: Chelsea Brady – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **L** eading Abby directly to the couch, Chelsea said, "Tell me what's going on with Josh."

Feeling as though she may be going crazy, Abby took a seat and helplessly exhaled, "Josh has been great, but at the same time he is distant. It's like he's hiding something from me, and when I try to broach the subject, he plays it off and pushes me away. He completely dismisses me but at the same time he's so present. I don't know if that makes any sense."

Trying to follow Abby's concerns, Chelsea asked, "Have you seen anything suspicious?"

Abby saw plenty but thought back to the most recent incident. "Just before I left to come here, I overheard Josh having a heated conversation with someone… To top things off, he recently put a password on his phone. I feel so paranoid so a part of me wonders if it is the pregnancy hormones."

Raising her shoulders at the possibility, Chelsea questioned, "What do you say when you try to confront Josh about it? Do you actually tell Josh everything you've noticed?" Josh putting a password on his phone was certainly suspicious, but she still wanted to encourage Abby to talk to Josh about it to avoid assuming the wrong thing.

"No," Abby denied it. "I just ask him if everything is okay."

"But you know it's not okay," Chelsea pointed out. "You are not okay with how things are playing out or being handled. I'm sure everything is fine and may just be a bigger deal now because you and Josh aren't actually talking through this. Just talk about it and clear the air."

Abby sighed and admitted, "I just want Josh to come out with it because this is his problem."

Making another point, Chelsea argued, "This isn't just his problem anymore."

Wanting to avoid what was in front of her, Abby began to think about JJ and how she was going with her parents to pick him up. "I'm really stressed about how the situation with JJ is going to go down, and I don't need this stress with Josh to distract me from making sure my brother doesn't go crazy with his freedom this weekend. I just need Josh to be fully present for me with our son. I can't handle anything else right now."

Chelsea tried to remain positive and once again encouraged, "Abby, I'm sure everything will be fine. When are you meeting with your mom and dad?"

Abby took a few deep breaths before stressfully answering, "I got a text from my mom on my way over. I'm meeting with her soon actually, so unfortunately our time is limited. I've used most of it already. I'm sorry. How are things with you? Please tell me your life is wonderful and full of greatness. I can use some good news."

Chelsea could see and feel how stressed Abby was. To help her, she obliged. Genuinely smiling, she said, "For the first time I feel as though my life is not complicated." She quickly knocked on the coffee table and laughed.

Abby smiled because she needed to hear someone was having an easy life. "I'm happy for you," she released when her phone made a sound. She received a text message from Jen telling her she was on her way home. Standing up, Abby announced, "I know this was short, but I have to go. I will definitely see you tonight."

Chelsea stood up and gave Abby a big hug before walking her to the door. "See you tonight." After closing the door, her phone beeped. She walked to the coffee table and picked up her phone to see she got a text message from a number not saved in her contacts. "Who is this?"

* * *

 _Tuesday, May 6th, 2014_

* * *

Since she promised her mom she would see her before her birthday, Chelsea sat outside with her mother and Frankie. They were having breakfast in Paris. "I'm meeting with some friends later to do some shopping."

Billie gave her daughter a look of interest and curiously asked, "Do you want company?"

"That's okay," Chelsea replied rather swiftly. "We will see each other for dinner later."

As Billie gave Chelsea an offended look, Frankie reminded his wife, "You have work. We both do."

Relaxing, Billie breathed, "I'm just happy Chelsea came here on her vacation."

Chelsea appeased her mother more by saying, "We can go shopping another day. I promise."

"I will hold you to that," Billie declared as she pointed her fork at her. She wanted to spoil her for her birthday.

Chelsea suddenly felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled her cell out to see she had received a mysterious text from someone. She wondered who it could be from.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Chelsea reread the text she had received and was about to reply when her phone began to ring. It was another random number. Figuring it was the same person who sent her the text, she answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Cameron," Cameron announced.

"Cameron?" Chelsea released a bit surprised. "Why aren't you calling me from your cell?"

"I'm calling you from the hospital to let you know I'm about to go shopping for tonight's party," Cameron shared before explaining, "I had to let someone borrow my phone for the day."

Chelsea didn't question who had to borrow his phone because she had news of her own. "Abby left early, so I can meet you at the mall and help you pick out something nice."

"Are you in the mood to coordinate what we're wearing tonight?" Cameron asked with a small chuckle.

Laughing along with Cameron, Chelsea answered, "Sure. I need to change clothes first so I don't look so lazy."

* * *

 _Tuesday, May 6th, 2014_

* * *

After shopping with her friends, Chelsea started her trek back to her mother's place when she was suddenly pulled into a large vehicle and blindfolded. When she tried to uncover her eyes, the person to the right of her made sure her hands couldn't get anywhere near her own face. Scared and confused, she tried to figure out what was going on. She could feel the vehicle moving and heard whoever was with her talking in Italian. "Where are you taking me?" she asked but no one would respond to her.

Suddenly music began to play loudly through the speakers in the vehicle. Whoever grabbed her was not in the mood to hear her voice. Chelsea realized the AC was now on as well because she could feel the cold breeze coming through the vents hitting the bottom of her face. Remembering the text message she received when she was eating breakfast with her mom and Frankie, she knew she needed to do something to get out of this situation. "My grandfather is Victor Kiriakis, and you will definitely regret this," she warned.

The others in the vehicle responded by laughing at Chelsea's threat. She wondered if that meant she wasn't in deep trouble. A part of her then wondered if her grandfather was the one who hired these men to kidnap her.

The vehicle eventually stopped. With the blindfold still on, Chelsea was pulled outside where she could hear car horns and screeching tires in the distance. When the sounds went away and the feel of the air changed, she quickly realized she must have been pulled into a building of some kind. Where was she now? Hearing a ding, she quickly picked up that they had pulled her onto an elevator. The weird sensation she always experienced when an elevator began to move confirmed it for her.

Chelsea swallowed hard until the elevator came to a halt. She was dragged out of the elevator and down what she presumed to be a hall. After hearing a door open, she was directed to move some more until they suddenly stopped once again. A familiar female voice instructed someone to take off the blindfold in English.

Once the blindfold was removed, Chelsea stepped back when she saw it was Maddalena who had captured her. She was in a hotel seemingly. "What is going on here? Why did you kidnap me?"

Coughing, Maddalena slowly pulled herself up. She looked rather rough. "You forgot to respond to my text," she released in between coughs. "You will have to be a bit patient with me because I only woke up from a coma about a month ago."

Chelsea scoffed at Maddalena remembering how she wanted to go off on the woman for turning Ignazio into a DiMera soldier just as she accused Stefano of doing to his own children. "Are you serious? You do not deserve kindness or patience because of what you have done. You destroyed your own grandson's life."

Maddalena rubbed her eyes and patiently said, "I am happy you mentioned Ignazio because I want to know if you have heard from him. No one has seen him since what occurred in Urbino."

Unbelievable. Chelsea continued to lecture Maddalena. "You are really rich kidnapping me to ask about Ignazio. Even if Ignazio had reached out to me, I wouldn't have told you."

Tears began to form in Maddalena's face as she began to consider the worse. "Ignazio must be dead," she frightfully lamented.

Chelsea began to tear up as well as she reflected on what she had with Ignazio. Hearing Maddalena say he could be dead impacted her because she knew Maddalena wasn't the only one to think that. She noted the sadness in Maddalena's voice and almost felt sorry for her, but her anger was still overpowering. "You have no right to mourn Ignazio. Ignazio and I were able to bond even if he had secrets. He loved me and wanted to be a better man but because of you and your influence, he believed he was too far gone. You broke him so much that he didn't even know what a healthy relationship looked like. He struggled with the idea of love. You have no right to mourn Ignazio because you are the one who killed him!"

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Maddalena remembered how Ignazio chose to save Chelsea when the explosives began to go off in the castle. Chelsea was the last one to see Ignazio alive for all she knew, and to escape her pain, she considered calling Chelsea out for leaving Ignazio there to die. Maddalena knew she couldn't do that though. It wouldn't have been true. Instead, she affirmatively told Chelsea, "I know." She took a long breath before she continued, "I managed to push Ignazio down a hole he couldn't get out of. You can go now."

Chelsea was a bit surprised because Maddalena wasn't fighting her about this. She studied Maddalena and realized whatever happened to her after Urbino definitely changed her. Though she wanted to get everything out with Ignazio's grandmother, she recognized that it would be impossible to do so because Maddalena was gone. It sucked that the woman who destroyed Ignazio was nowhere to be seen.

As the man next to her placed the blindfold over her eyes once more, Chelsea took a deep breath. In the beginning, she planned to tell Victor about this when she was released, but to make sure another war didn't start up, she decided to keep the entire meeting a secret.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After she was satisfied with her appearance, Chelsea grabbed her purse, phone, and keys before heading towards the front door. She was about to call Cameron to tell him she was on her way, when she remembered he didn't have his phone. Right when she grabbed the doorknob to open it, there was a sudden knock. Believing Cameron decided to pick her up, she smiled and said, "You didn't have to do this."

Opening the door, Chelsea's jaw dropped erasing her smile completely. Shocked, she couldn't believe who was on the other side. "Ignazio?" There was something different about him.


	35. Ignazio DiMera

**Chapter 35: Ignazio DiMera – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **Y** ears. It had been three years since Ignazio last stood in the small town of Salem. While walking through the terminal, Ignazio had his grandfather on the phone. "I have arrived in Salem, nonno." He exited the airport and almost ran into Marco and an older woman who stood next to him. He quickly hid before Marco could turn around and see him.

Gustavo seemed happy with the news by his response. "I am pleased to hear you have arrived to Salem. Be cautious and aware of your surroundings. You must remain inconspicuous. I will call you again when I have time."

"I will see you soon enough," Ignazio told Gustavo before putting his phone away. He took a deep breath before whispering to himself, "It's time to make amends."

* * *

 _Friday, October 25th, 2013_

* * *

With his arms wrapped around his wounded body, Ignazio couldn't stop shaking as he walked through the wreckage of the castle in Urbino. His dress pants were torn and ripped while his button-up shirt was almost non-existent. It had been twenty-seven days since the fiery chaos that brought everything down. Drops of water aimlessly hit around him and on him as the castle made unnerving sounds while it continued to settle after the explosions.

The shaking seemed to only get worse as his legs began to give in. He was so weak. Falling to the ground, Ignazio wondered if this was it. He questioned if this would be when his body would finally give in. "No…" He couldn't let this be it. "I deserve more torture – further torment."

"You definitely deserve to pay more…" a voice sounded in the distance.

Ignazio tried to fully pull himself up, but his legs wouldn't work. He feared the rescuers returned to look for bodies; he didn't want to be found. Using his arms to pull himself up as much as possible, he noticed a shadow getting closer. He fell back in despair and squinted his eyes to see who had found him.

It was Azzura.

"What the hell is this?" Dread and confusion filled Ignazio as he tried to push himself away from Azzura.

Azzura laughed in his face and leaned against a big piece of wreckage. "Why do you look as if you've seen a ghost?"

Ignazio could only cower.

With a look of disappointment, Azzura forcefully asked, "Do you have nothing to say about our circumstance?"

Ignazio continued to quiver as he thought about the darkness that surrounded them. "There is nothing I can say because it is too late," he finally responded. "It is too late for us."

Azzura pushed herself back onto her feet. She moved closer to Ignazio. "Why are you still here then? Why are you still breathing?"

"You… you already know the answer to these questions," Ignazio told Azzura. He looked away from her fearfully as she moved closer to him.

Azzura slowly straddled Ignazio and with a wicked smile lamented, "It's too bad we never gave in." She caressed Ignazio's cheeks hoping to get him to turn to her. She lowered the volume of her voice as she seductively suggested, "It is possible we may still have time to give it a go." She moved to Ignazio's neck and began to kiss it softly. "Does this feel nice, Ignazio?"

"Please stop," Ignazio anxiously cringed as she continued to push herself on him.

Letting a small giggle escape her mouth, Azzura moved to Ignazio's ear and disapprovingly whispered, "You have always been weak-minded. You are pathetic. You never deserved friends, family, or love."

With all his might, Ignazio pushed Azzura off him. Azzura grunted as soon as she fell back. Ignazio turned to see what he did. Blood began to flow from the wound he gave her when he stabbed her to save Maddalena. The sight was too much.

To make matters worse, Azzura touched the wound and studied the blood on her fingers before making direct eye contact with Ignazio. "Is this really what you wanted? Did you want me to die?"

Horrified by what he did, Ignazio could not answer. He struggled because he didn't want her to die but it was too late to go there.

Azzura continued to profusely bleed. "We were once friends, but you turned your back on me because you actually believed you were better than everyone who crossed your path – even Chelsea."

Filled with an anger he hadn't felt in some time, Ignazio finally fought back. "Shut your whore mouth because I am nothing compared to Chelsea."

Suddenly, another voice came forward. "If you are nothing, what does that make us?"

Ignazio nervously turned his head and saw Ric had joined him and Azzura. He couldn't believe he was seeing his old friend. "Ric…"

"Nazio…" Ric called out to Ignazio. "Do not look at me as if you actually ever cared for me."

Ignazio was filled with pain as he said, "Ric, I really did care about you, and I am so sorry I let you down."

Ric gave Ignazio a look of distrust. "I doubt this because I am dead now. My life is over and cursed to remain a spirit on this evil earth."

A tear fell down Ignazio's face as he argued, "I loved you as a brother, but things became twisted in my mind. I evolved… into this monster."

"Why wasn't I worth it, fratello?" Ric questioned with great anguish. "Why did you not realize what you had before it was too late?"

Ignazio wished he had answers and could only apologize. "I am so sorry I ruined everything… that I got lost in proving I was something I never really wanted to be."

"It is too late," Ric repeated with great defeat. "You should just let it happen."

Processing Ric's words, Ignazio recalled when he told his friend's dead body he would see him soon after he suffered. Maybe this was really it for him.

Standing again, Azzura joined Ric where he stood. Both were bleeding now. "Just let it happen," they spoke together. "Let death into your heart. Your punishment is over."

Ignazio began to cough; he wasn't as willing to give up anymore because he hadn't suffered enough yet. "My punishment is not over. I need to live in this prison for everything I have done wrong." He coughed some more, but this time blood escaped his lips. Looking at the blood all over him, he felt his head get lighter before he suddenly passed out.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Ignazio arrived outside of Chelsea's apartment believing it still belonged to Chad, Will, and Sonny. He reflected over how they were good to him. He knew he had so much to apologize for. After taking a deep breath, he firmly knocked on the door. "This is just the first step," he told himself when the door suddenly opened.

"Ignazio?" Chelsea released. There was something different about him.

Ignazio took a step back in shock to see Chelsea there. As he looked past her, he didn't know what to say.

* * *

 _Tuesday, December 24th, 2013_

* * *

After moving Ignazio to a more secluded clinic in Italy, Gustavo periodically visited Ignazio hoping he would wake. The day finally came, and with it, a lot of questions. Ignazio tried to make sense of what happened because his last memory took place at the destroyed castle, where he tormented himself for everything he had done wrong. Seeing his grandfather by his side, his mind focused on the funeral and the explosions that came afterwards. Maybe this was it. "Have I died?"

Gustavo denied it and shared, "Your life was spared."

Realizing someone rescued him from the hell he wanted to live in, Ignazio became upset. "I should have died."

Firm but caring, Gustavo argued, "It is not time for you to die. You still have a life to live and a purpose."

Confused, Ignazio asked, "What purpose do I have now?" He couldn't help being suspicious because he was done with others asking him to do things – especially evil things.

"I do not have the answer to your question," Gustavo admitted before adding, "Only you know."

Shaking his head, Ignazio claimed, "I believe my purpose was to suffer and die a horrible death for all of my misdeeds."

His grandson couldn't even look him in the eyes. To get Ignazio out of this funk, Gustavo questioned, "Have you given up on redemption?" Ignazio didn't answer, so Gustavo stood and said, "I believe Maddalena is still alive. I saw Alessandro take her out of the castle and drive off while I hid from everyone else to make my escape from Urbino. No one knows the two of us survived. Do you want redemption again?" At this point, he had not met with his son Nazario or seen Maddalena awake.

"I am not certain I deserve redemption," Ignazio questionably admitted. "I destroyed everything good in my life as well as the good in others' lives." His thoughts went to Chelsea and the determined look she gave him in the storage closet. She wanted him to seek out redemption, and the memory of that moment only caused Ignazio to wrestle with what Gustavo seemed to be offering him.

A smile appeared on Gustavo's face. "Even you can find redemption. You are young and can learn."

Ignazio didn't really understand why Gustavo was pushing this. "It will take years then."

"Yes, it will," Gustavo promptly agreed. "I give you my word I will do what I must so you receive the redemption I know you crave."

Looking into his grandfather's eyes, Ignazio allowed himself a small sliver of hope as he said, "If it is possible, I will do whatever I need to do."

"I am pleased to hear you say this," Gustavo beamed. He knew what he needed to do now.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Getting over the shock first, Chelsea abruptly asked Ignazio, "What are you doing here?"

Ignazio came out of the astonishment of this situation and said, "This wasn't supposed to happen this way… I came to talk to Chad and Will."

Though she was still processing the fact that Ignazio stood in front of her three years later, Chelsea managed to, at the same time, have a civil conversation with her ex. "Chad and Will don't live here anymore. I do." She tried her best not to say it aloud, but she couldn't help herself. "You're still alive…"

"I have been away – dealing with my demons," Ignazio acknowledged before looking inside the apartment to see if Chelsea was alone. "May I enter?"

Deciding she wanted answers, Chelsea invited Ignazio in. Before Ignazio could get used to being in Chelsea's apartment, she closed the door and asked, "Why are you back in Salem after all this time?" She placed her things on the table next to the sofa as she waited for Ignazio to answer.

Ignazio struggled with looking directly at Chelsea. "I came to ask for forgiveness."

"Have you seen anyone else?"

Shaking his head, Ignazio answered, "No. Are you okay?"

Even though Ignazio could barely look at her, Chelsea noticed immediately the sincerity in Ignazio's question. She still had walls built up though. "I'm great, Ignazio. Everyone is great."

Ignazio noted the distance from Chelsea internally. He still managed to say, "I am joyous to know everyone is great. How long have you lived here?"

Weirded out that she was now having a casual conversation with Ignazio, Chelsea decided not to get too specific. "For a while."

Looking the place over, Ignazio remembered when Chad and Will were good to him. He suddenly closed his eyes for a moment; it appeared he needed to collect himself to continue this conversation. "Do you live alone?"

"I have a roommate named Safiya," Chelsea released still trying to read what was happening here.

"What happened to Chad, Will, and Sonny?"

This was too much. Chelsea wasn't keen on giving Ignazio any more information. "Did you really come back to Salem to apologize?" She really wanted to hear Ignazio apologize for something.

Ignazio struggled because the shock of standing with Chelsea again still fazed him. "Why else would I come?"

Placing her hands on her hips, Chelsea called him out. "You're digging. I think you came back because you know Chad and Will are getting married."

Ignazio smiled immediately and, clearly intrigued, asked, "Are Chad and Will really getting married?"

Thrown, Chelsea realized Ignazio didn't know anything about life in Salem. "You're serious."

Knowing Chelsea was stunned he didn't know anything with how she voiced her comment, Ignazio said, "I didn't really have time to catch up on what happened here while I was gone."

"Where have you been?" Chelsea asked figuring that was one of the most important questions. The other one came next. "What have you been doing this entire time?" She thought back to their conversation in the castle closet and when she helped Hope with Ciara – the last time she saw Ignazio.

* * *

 _Saturday, February 1st, 2014_

* * *

In a secluded area in the country of Egypt, Ignazio arrived to a large compound with Gustavo. "Is this where I will receive my redemption?"

Gustavo only responded to Ignazio with a nod. He then made a very specific and somewhat long whistling noise. It almost sounded like a phrase from an old Gregorian chant.

Ignazio watched as a few rather large guards came out of the compound. They greeted Gustavo and then took hold of Ignazio. Confused, he looked to his grandfather hoping to get some sort of verbal direction from him, but he quickly realized that would not be the case here. He had to face whatever this was head on. Giving Gustavo a look of determination, he showed he would not back down to the challenge before him.

The guards took Ignazio inside, and he noted right away how dark the place was. He heard violent screams coming from behind another wall and wondered what he would soon see because the guards were hauling him towards it.

Once he was escorted into the next area, Ignazio was a bit overwhelmed due to all the fights he saw happening between most of the people inside. He turned to the long fortified walls that surrounded him. There were others trying to stay to themselves to avoid being pulled into the chaos.

The guards threw Ignazio to the filthy ground once he got a good look of what his life would be now. "Welcome to hell," one of the guards told him. His voice sounded so corroded and corrupt.

Ignazio pulled himself up as the guards walked away. He took in his surroundings once more as he realized that if he wanted to live outside of these walls again, he would have to survive.

* * *

 _Monday, August 22nd, 2016_

* * *

After arriving to the island of Maddalena via boat, Ignazio walked to a secluded building to find his grandmother sitting in the garden looking at the sunset. He noted Maddalena allowed her hair to gray. She looked a lot older from the last time he saw her.

Maddalena smiled when she saw Ignazio. She felt warmer when he gave her a kiss and took a seat next to her.

"The garden looks lovely."

Feeling a moment of fulfillment, Maddalena replied, "Piero has done wonders just as his father and grandfather before him."

"Nonno sent me to you because I believe he is close to finding your brother," Ignazio announced moving on.

Maddalena took Ignazio's hand and patted it. "How long will you be in town for your visit?"

"A few weeks," he answered.

"That is nice," Maddalena claimed. "I will enjoy your company. We should start a fire after the sun disappears into the darkness."

Ignazio turned to his grandmother and smiled. He knew this would be the last time he would see her alive.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Back in the present, Chelsea could see her questions triggered something in Ignazio. "Ignazio, did I lose you?" Hearing her own question aloud affected her greatly because she realized how much Ignazio still impacted her. The pain from how she lost him all those years ago came to the forefront of her mind.

Ignazio snapped out of his memories. He looked past Chelsea for a moment before finally answering, "Sorry. I made sure I was punished for what I did to everyone."

A bit concerned, Chelsea asked, "What does that mean?"

Looking down, Ignazio avoided giving a real answer. "I would rather not tell you. There's so much I would like to say, but I am not sure I deserve the time you would have to give to hear it all."

It was impossible not to see how much Ignazio had changed. Ignazio still couldn't look directly at her. His eyes were so full of shame and remorse. She also recognized for the first time his eyes were now blue. Before Chelsea could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Remembering she was supposed to meet Cameron at the mall, she wondered if he decided to stop by.

Before Chelsea could answer the door, Ignazio began to panic. "I have to leave before anyone else sees me."

"What are you asking me to do?" Chelsea questioned recognizing that her life had become complicated once more. Whoever was on the other side knocked on the door once again.


	36. Cameron Davis

**Chapter 36: Cameron Davis – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

"I'll see you tonight," Frank released before heading out of the hospital waiting room.

Now that they were alone, Cameron turned to Chad and said, "I hope Stefano doesn't get in the way of your wedding." Reflecting on the video they watched the night before, he remembered how oddly quiet Chad was afterwards.

A tad distracted because he saw Frank answer his phone on his way out, Chad tried to remain confident even though he feared what would happen at his wedding. "I'm not worried. You wanted to talk to me about something?"

With all the talk about the biological father he did not know, Cameron almost felt silly for what he wanted to discuss. With an awkward grin, he shared, "I simply wanted to check in with you about tonight and the wedding. Anything I need to know before we meet tonight?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Chad gave his brother his full attention and admitted, "I'm not exactly sure what's happening besides the short meeting we'll have at the beginning to talk about how the ceremony will play out. We'll also discuss the times we need everyone to be dressed and ready for the wedding to start tomorrow. After that, Dario and Sonny are responsible for the bachelor party slash rehearsal dinner."

Cameron rubbed his hands together in excitement. "I still need to find something to wear for the party tonight."

"It's not a big deal," Chad told his brother. Even though he was downplaying tonight for Cameron's sake, it was a big deal to Chad. This entire weekend was huge because he would finally be able to call Will his husband.

Cameron got a bit nervous as he shared, "Chelsea and I are going together."

Realizing tonight was a big deal for Cameron, Chad patted his brother on the arm. "So you're making it official! I'm excited for you! I can't wait to see you two together tonight!"

After patting him on the back, Cameron thanked Chad and headed for the nurses' station to make sure he had everything finished so he could sign out and leave. He picked up the desk phone and decided to call Chelsea to check in about tonight. "Hey it's Cameron. … I'm calling you from the hospital to let you know I'm about to go shopping for tonight's party. I had to let someone borrow my phone for the day."

* * *

 _Monday, November 11th, 2013_

* * *

After work, Cameron and Chelsea decided to go to Java Café for a small coffee date since they hadn't really seen each other since Billie and Frankie's wedding. "I had fun with you at your mom's wedding a couple of weeks ago."

"I had fun, too," Chelsea replied as she reflected over the night. "Thanks for dancing with me for most of the night."

Cameron gave Chelsea a look to show he didn't mind. "We should do it again."

Showing a smidge of discomfort on her face, Chelsea said, "That could be fun, but I want to make sure you're okay with us just being friends."

Chelsea's straightforwardness caused things to get a bit more uncomfortable between them, but Cameron quickly stated, "I'm fine with being friends." He could appreciate Chelsea for being upfront with him because he always tried to be the same in his life.

Trying to appease any discomfort Cameron was feeling, Chelsea shared, "I do like you, but I have a lot I need to work through before jumping into anything…" She realized she shouldn't have jumped to any conclusions due to the awkwardness and quickly tacked on, "… _if_ that's what you were hoping for."

"I like you, too," Cameron admitted putting Chelsea more at ease. "I wouldn't want to rush anything if that's where we are headed or could be heading. Whatever happens works for me because I need to build on having better friendships and connections in Salem if I plan to stick around."

Chelsea gave Cameron a look of appreciation. "I'm happy we can be on the same page, but what do you mean – _if_ you stick around?"

Cameron laughed before saying, "I'm most likely staying put, but you never know what will happen."

Feeling a lot more relaxed, Chelsea replied, "Whatever happens, I hope you're happy."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Before heading out of the hospital, Cameron decided to check in with Lexie and Celeste about Theo. Searching for them, he ran into Maxine first and greeted her warmly. "Will I see you tonight at Chad and Will's party?"

Discomfort covered Maxine's face involuntarily. She hated she couldn't hide it better because she didn't want to put that pressure on Cameron for having a relationship with his siblings. Trying to play it off, she told Cameron, "Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it because I'm volunteering tonight at the nursing home. I will be at the wedding tomorrow though."

"Do you want me to come pick you up tomorrow?"

Shaking her head, Maxine quickly said, "That won't be necessary."

Cameron made note of a sadness in his mom. He tried to lift her spirits by reminding her, "I'm excited about the upcoming event honoring all of your hard work."

Thinking about the event lifted Maxine's spirits. "I feel special that they're doing that for me. Do you want to be my date?"

"Definitely," Cameron gladly accepted.

Playfully slapping his arm, Maxine joyfully pushed, "You should go enjoy the rest of your day."

After giving Maxine another hug, Cameron noted a shift in his mother and felt better about walking off. Heading down the hall, he found Lexie and Celeste in a waiting room. He realized he interrupted something between them and apologized. "I can come back…"

Lexie swiftly stopped Cameron from leaving. "You're fine because we are waiting on news to see if Theo will be released today. I will go and find Daniel to see if there is any news."

Cameron studied his sister as she walked out and noted she didn't seem so stressed anymore. Now alone with Celeste, he stepped forward and questioned, "How are things going?"

Celeste took a deep breath and anxiously said, "I am still concerned about Theo wanting to keep his distance from me, but I understand it at the same time."

Reflecting on what he learned about Celeste, Cameron asked, "Do you ever get tired of feeling extra… things in the air?"

Thinking over her life, Celeste truthfully admitted, "It is a burden, but I know I cannot keep what I know inside."

Curious, Cameron wondered, "Do you ever get a strange feeling about me?"

Celeste gave Cameron a curious look in return and asked, "Have you ever considered getting a reading?" She purposely avoided answering her son's question by asking her own. Thus far, she hadn't really sensed anything before finding out he was her son.

"I'd try anything once," Cameron admitted. He thought about the text message he received from Stefano and wondered if he should get a reading on that.

* * *

 _Saturday, November 23rd, 2013_

* * *

When Cameron decided to visit her at her home, Maxine was excited to see him but warned, "The house is a bit of a mess. I'm rummaging through some stuff I had in the attic. What brings you over?"

"I came to talk to you about something," Cameron started. He seemed very uneasy for some reason.

"Do you have more questions about your past?" Maxine assumed. She scratched the top of her head and looked to the floor expecting Cameron to say yes.

Cameron placed his hands in his pockets and said, "I'm always curious to know more, but I came to tell you that I got an invite to have Thanksgiving with the DiMera family this year."

Trying to hide her disappointment, Maxine made another assumption. "So you are asking for my permission to go? You can go if you want."

Cameron quickly caught Maxine's attention. "I'm not going. I still want to have Thanksgiving dinner with you. I only told you so you would know what's going on."

Feeling a bit better, Maxine breathed, "I appreciate you being upfront with me."

With a wink, Cameron reminded her, "You raised me to be that way." He felt more relaxed now that his reason for stopping by was out in the open.

Feeling proud now, Maxine gave Cameron a wink in return and led him into the living room, which as she mentioned before was kind of a mess. "Sorry, like I said I am sorting things."

Cameron immediately noted Maxine was looking through some old files. "What do you have here?"

Maxine smiled and walked over to pick up a few things to share with her son. "I was looking over some of your things you left in the attic because I figured you may want some of it to take back to your place."

Cameron couldn't help but notice the love Maxine had in her eyes and got the sense she wanted to cry. "I told you nothing would change between us," he reminded her.

Maxine turned to her son and said, "Things have already changed. You're getting invited to holiday dinners with your real family."

Taking his mother's hand, Cameron repeated, " _You_ are my real family."

"Are you upset that I kept this secret from you for all these years?"

Cameron sighed before admitting, "I was disappointed, but I know you didn't do it to destroy my life. I love you no matter what."

Maxine appreciated hearing that. "I want you to be careful."

Knowing she was referring to the DiMera family, Cameron promised, "I will be. I know that the DiMera family comes with its drama. I don't plan to change my last name – no matter what."

Happy to hear that, Maxine gave Cameron a hug. When they separated, she picked up an old picture and showed it to him. "This is you when you were a little boy."

Cameron looked the picture over and noted, "I look awful in that picture."

Maxine smiled and said, "You were still cute even when you were sick." Noticing her son had a curious expression on his face, she then explained, "We were overseas on vacation when you got really ill all of a sudden. It was terrible. We rushed you to this small clinic nearby and fortunately, the doctor there knew right away how to help you because it was some sort of infection that occurred frequently in the area. Even though it was scary to go through, the doctor managed to successfully treat you with a blood transfusion. It was then that I decided I wanted to go back to school to finish my nursing degree."

Though he found this strange, Cameron gave his mom a hug and commented, "Well, I'm thankful things worked out because I haven't had any major problems since then."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Placing her wallet in her purse, Kate walked out of the hair salon. She pulled out her compact mirror to examine her hair once more. "Everything will be perfect for tomorrow," she told herself as she looked up to see Cameron sitting by himself on a bench. After putting her compact away, she began to head his direction, but Frank stepped in before she could finish her trek.

"Sorry to just show up like this," Frank began. "I've tried calling you to see if I can borrow your phone so I can track Stefano easier."

Kate was so caught up in Frank's handsome and well-built features. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you just said. I can guess though. I am definitely interested in meeting up later tonight after the party. I saw the way you were looking at me the other night."

Feeling awkward, Frank tried to return to why he approached Kate. "I want to borrow your phone to see if I can get any more responses from Stefano. It could help me figure out his plan."

Hearing Frank this time, Kate almost laughed. "There's no way I'm letting go of my phone the day before my grandson's wedding," she scoffed before moving in closer. "If you want to swing by later, we can work together… privately."

"I can't," Frank quickly passed on the opportunity Kate was presenting. "I will have to make do with what I have then."

Disappointed, Kate disapprovingly shook her head at Frank. "You don't always have to be so professional," she directed before walking off.

Waiting for Chelsea at Salem Place, Cameron wished he had his phone so he could call her to see what her E.T.A. was. Hearing someone stop in front of him, he looked up surprised to see Chelsea's grandmother there. "Kate?"

Still disappointed she got no reaction from Frank, Kate attempted to move on by focusing her thoughts on her granddaughter. "What are you doing here?"

Cameron leaned back on the bench. "I'm shopping for tonight, but I'm waiting for Chelsea to arrive."

Kate placed her bags down and took a seat next to Cameron. "I'm happy to have a moment alone with you. How are things between you and my granddaughter?"

"Things are good," Cameron shared thinking this was a bit awkward. "That's probably all Chelsea would want me to say to you."

"Wise choice. I don't want to end up dead either by continuing to push for more," Kate jested. Raising her eyes at Cameron, she commented, "Things must be going really well then," before asking, "How long have you been waiting for her?"

Cameron looked at the time and said, "Not that long, but I think I should head to her apartment to pick her up."

Reading into his sudden decision, Kate believed, "You aren't actually an item yet, are you?"

Cameron rubbed his elbow and admitted, "We just recently decided to start something." Standing up, he announced, "I should go pick her up now."

Kate watched as Cameron left and said, "Another wise decision. Good luck." She hoped Cameron and Chelsea had better luck than she did with Frank. Pulling out her phone, she whispered, "He must be gay. That has to be it…"

* * *

 _Saturday, March 8th, 2014_

* * *

Cameron arrived to the DiMera mansion with a gift for Chad's 24th birthday shindig. Even though he had been there a few times, he still felt a tad overwhelmed by the place – especially since Celeste woke up. He and his biological mother hadn't really had the opportunity to talk things through unfortunately.

"Are you okay?" Lexie warmly checked in with him. She was the one who opened the door for him when he arrived.

Nodding his head, Cameron studied the foyer and wondered if everyone would look at him once he stepped into the living room. He wanted to keep things light and answered, "I am fine. Where is the birthday boy?"

"Right this way." Lexie led Cameron into the living room, and, just as he thought, everyone turned around to say hello.

Chad took the gift from Cameron. "Thanks for coming out."

EJ shook Cameron's hand next clearly happy to see him as well. "We have a lot of food out if you're hungry."

Will placed his hand on Chad's back to get his boyfriend's attention. When Chad turned around, Will offered, "I can put the gift with the others."

Chad handed Will the gift Cameron gave him before giving him a quick peck on the lips. He was ecstatic to have Will cured in time for his birthday. They could focus on building their home again.

As Will walked off, Cameron shook Chad's hand and said, "Thanks for the invite." He continued to study the room. His thoughts went to how this was the place Stefano once called home. There were so many questions he still had but he didn't think now would be the appropriate time.

"Of course," Chad quipped catching Cameron's attention again. "You're family." He noted the way Cameron still looked the place over and recognized how he felt the same way when he first found out Stefano was his father. It was odd seeing someone now going through what he went through.

Crossing his arms, EJ joked with Chad, "We still need to initiate Cameron into the family." He was trying to show the playful side of the family and hoped Chad would play along.

As Cameron questioned what EJ meant, Chad raised his eyebrows and playfully wondered, "I'm not sure if Cameron is up for the challenge."

Cameron put his hands up and admitted, "I don't know what to think about being initiated."

EJ continued to joke and told Chad, "I'll check in with Marco." Even though he still sensed some tension between him and Chad, it still felt good they could joke around at this point. Unfortunately, the playfulness was interrupted because Sami needed EJ for something. "Duty calls," he said before following Sami out of the room.

When Will joined them again, Chad could tell Cameron had this worried look on his face. "Don't worry. EJ and I were just messing with you. You won't have to be initiated if you remain a doctor and don't join the family business."

Cameron smiled unsure of what to say. "Well, I love being a doctor, so I guess I'm safe." When the other two laughed, Cameron turned to Will. "How does it feel to have another brother or sister on the way?"

"Brother," Will clarified before answering, "It's great I guess. Mom told me this was it, but you never know with her and EJ. I really do enjoy spending time with my siblings even if they're a lot younger than me."

Cameron nodded his head and pointed out, "I guess it was similar for you in some ways. I grew up an only child to find out I have siblings out there."

Chad grinned. "It's a weird experience all of us have gone through."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Arriving to Chelsea's apartment, Cameron commented on how bad the traffic was before knocking on the door. He waited patiently until Chelsea answered the door; she had a goofy grin on her face. "Cameron, come in."

Cameron walked in and noted that Chelsea wasn't alone. Qamar, Safiya's younger brother, was also there. "So why are you so smiley?" he asked Chelsea with a curious expression on his face.

Chelsea walked over to Qamar and placed her hand on his back. "Qamar was telling me about his freshman year at Salem U." She thought about how Qamar was the one at the door when she was talking to Ignazio and was relieved it wasn't Cameron instead.

Qamar turned to Chelsea and asked, "Are you about to leave?"

Nodding her head, Chelsea said, "You can hang out if you want."

Appreciating the gesture, Qamar said, "I actually need to head out. Are you still cool with helping me throw a party for my sister here in a month?"

"I will definitely help you," Chelsea gleefully told him.

"Awesome," Qamar released before saying his goodbyes.

After Qamar was gone, Chelsea grabbed her purse and apologized to Cameron. "I'm sorry for making you wait this entire time. I would have called, but you don't have your phone."

Cameron gave Chelsea an understanding look. "I know. I wish I had my phone on me as well, but Frank really needed it. He's trying to track Stefano."

Remembering how Cameron told her about Stefano's text earlier in the week, Chelsea knew that was a sore subject for him. "Did you already buy what you needed?"

Cameron denied it noting a discomfort now filled the room. "I didn't, and I didn't really wait that long. I should probably tell you I ran into your grandma, Kate."

Heading for the door, Chelsea wondered, "Do I even want to know what was said?"

Cameron laughed as they both left the apartment. Chelsea made sure to lock the door.


	37. Chad DiMera

**Chapter 37: Chad DiMera – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **F** ocus. Focus. Focus. The word was on repeat in Chad's mind since he woke up. He had so much to get done today, but as hard as he tried, he could not stop thinking about the video he watched with his family the night before. "Focus," he released under his breath.

Walking out of his closet, Will saw Chad packing his stuff on the bed. "You know you're only going to be gone for the night, right?" he playfully reminded his fiancé.

Chad turned around feeling a bit bummed that Will put on clothes. Returning his focus to his own wardrobe, he said, "I'm not sure what to wear tonight."

"You could wear nothing." Will continued to be playful with Chad.

Chad smirked as he thought about dancing with Will in the nude. After a moment, he finally responded, "The guests tonight wouldn't appreciate that."

Will immediately argued, "I would appreciate it, and that's all that matters."

Moving quick, Chad grabbed Will and kissed him. "Don't worry, I'll only be away from you for the night. I'll be at Dario's while Sonny comes to stay with you tonight."

Wanting to check in with Chad, Will gave him a serious look. "We haven't talked about what happened last night, and I know you'd probably rather not, but I really want to make sure you're okay."

This was against his plan for the day, but Chad didn't walk away from Will. "I'm fine. We are fine, Will. Let's just focus on us and this weekend."

With a nod, Will allowed a small smile to show on his face as he replied, "We're getting married. It will definitely be a day full of celebration with friends and family. Tell me, Chad. Is there any part of you that wishes Stefano could be there at our wedding?"

Chad silently looked into Will's beautiful blue eyes and relaxed. He didn't know how he did it, but he knew how to dig deep into his mind and pull something out. "Most people want their parents at their wedding. I wish my mom could be there, and maybe a small part of me wishes Stefano could be there as well, but I know neither of those things can happen. Stefano is dangerous, and we both know he only brings drama and chaos with him. I'm okay, Will. I promise."

Deciding to let this go, Will gave Chad another kiss before grabbing his wallet, phone, and keys. "I'm heading out to have brunch with some of my family. I'm already in trouble because I missed dinner at the pub the night before."

Chad wanted to hold Will a bit longer, but he refrained because if he did they wouldn't get anything done. "Have fun. I will see you tonight."

Will headed for the door but stopped and turned around. "I love you, Handsome."

"I love you, Blue." After Will left, Chad finished his packing for the night. He was happy he already finished packing for their honeymoon.

As he began to mess with the key around his neck, Chad's phone began to ring. "Hey Cameron," he answered.

"Chad," Cameron started. "Do you have time to talk later? I'm at the hospital working an early-morning shift."

Chad made sure he had his wallet and keys as he shared, "I'm headed to Lexie's, and we're going to the hospital together to bring Theo a change of clothes for when he gets checked out today."

Cameron thought this was perfect. "Awesome. I'll see you here then."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Lexie let Chad inside before closing the front door of her home. "I'm almost set," she frantically declared. "I have Theo's clothes in a bag packed up and ready as well."

Chad scratched the back of his head. "Do you know anything yet?"

Lexie began to place the things she would need into her purse. "Daniel is running the last round of tests to make sure everything is in the clear. Dr. Wesley is helping him."

Since he wasn't sure if two doctors being put on Theo's case was a good or bad thing, Chad decided not to voice anything about that. "Hopefully, it's all clear."

Lexie agreed as she placed her purse around her shoulder. "I'm ready to go when you are."

Patting his pockets for his keys, Chad realized he did not have his phone. He must have left it in the car. With his keys in his hands now, he said, "I can stay however long you need me to."

Heading out the door, Lexie turned around to make sure the front door was locked. "I need Theo to talk to my mother, and I have a plan that requires your help."

"What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to leave before Theo and I do," Lexie shared. "I can have my mom drive Theo and me home since I'm riding with you to the hospital now."

Agreeing with his sister's plan, Chad pointed out, "You seem certain that Theo's being released today."

Lexie followed Chad to his car and agreed. "I'm almost certain that the tests will show nothing is wrong with Theo."

* * *

 _Thursday, October 31st, 2013_

* * *

At the first annual The Chill Halloween Party, Chad was talking to Sonny and Dario near the bar about the kids' party at the DiMera mansion. Sonny, who seemed a bit out of it, randomly asked Chad, "Is it too early to do shots?"

It was late so Chad wasn't sure what to make of Sonny's question. "I'll skip out on drinking, but you two are more than welcome to take some." Spotting Cameron walk in, Chad excused himself and headed over to greet his newfound brother. "Hey Cameron. Thanks for coming."

Cameron nodded his head and broadly smiled. "Thanks for the invite. I like your costume. What are you? Sexy caveman?"

Chad grinned and though he was dressed as George of the Jungle, he simply replied, "Pretty much. I like yours, too."

Searching the crowd, Cameron scratched his arm and curiously asked, "Is Lexie around?"

Moving in closer to Cameron, Chad gave his brother a look of regret as he shared, "Lexie said she wasn't going to make it."

Cameron gave Chad a confused look as he asserted, "I talked to her about half an hour ago and talked her into coming."

Giving Cameron an impressed look, Chad acknowledged, "I saw Lexie an hour ago, and she told me then that she wasn't coming. It's cool that you talked her into coming. I'll have to use you the next time I need Lexie to do something."

Cameron laughed to downplay his sway over Lexie. "So what should I expect tonight?" He knew Chelsea wasn't going to be there since she was doing Halloween with her sister.

Chad got excited because of how much work he, Will, and a few others put into tonight's party. "We're going to have different contests and some awesome performances." Even though they had moved on in the conversation, Chad couldn't help thinking about Cameron being Lexie's full brother. He wondered if he would lose his bond with Lexie as she tried to connect with Cameron more.

Chad told himself it would be okay and smiled when Will walked up. Wrapping his arms around his boyfriend, he gave Will a kiss. "Hey hottie."

Thrown by the closeness from Chad, Will enquired, "What are you doing, Chad? Did someone dare you to do that?"

Chad distanced himself and realized Will just had another loss of memory spell. "Yeah," he quickly answered through an awkward laugh.

Cameron began to laugh thinking Will and Chad were only joking around. "You two are funny."

"Who are you?" Will asked. He really did not remember who Cameron was.

Believing Will was asking about his costume, Cameron shared, "I'm a male stripper… I've got a gold thong underneath all of this…"

As Will looked Cameron up and down, Abby and Josh came over to say hi to the others. Unable to take this, Chad excused himself because he didn't know what to do with Will and his memory lapses. Will took note of Chad's discomfort and wondered what just happened.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After returning Frank's call to tell him that he was at the hospital, Chad walked over to Lexie. "Sorry, I had to call Frank." He wondered what Frank wanted to talk to him about.

Daniel joined them and said, "Theo is up for visitors and is also able to eat breakfast now. I'm hoping to have those results in the next few hours."

"Thank you, Daniel," Lexie gratefully released. After Daniel walked off, she turned to Chad and showed she had already grabbed something for Theo to eat from the cafeteria.

When they arrived to Theo's hospital room, Theo immediately lit up because he was ready to get out of there. He was even more excited when he saw his mom brought him food. "I'm so hungry."

It felt good to see Theo so alive. "How are you feeling, man?" Chad asked his nephew.

"I'm ready to get out of here," Theo confessed. "I didn't need to miss school for this."

Lexie didn't know how to respond to her son's downplaying the situation, but she stated, "I am sure you will get out today. You'll get to see all your friends on Monday."

"Oh, I already know it's happening," Theo released before digging into his breakfast.

Lexie and Chad traded looks wondering if Theo had a premonition of his release.

* * *

 _Friday, June 26th, 2015_

* * *

Celebrating the Supreme Court's decision to allow same-sex marriage on June 26th, 2015, Chad and Will danced together as Safiya and the band performed _Right to Fall_ by Jessica Sanchez. They were so lost in each other and couldn't believe this day finally came. Today was a life changing day.

After some time, Chad pulled back from Will and spoke, "I'm thirsty. I'll go grab us something to drink."

"Don't take too long, Handsome" Will said with a wink.

Chad headed to the bar and ordered a couple of sodas when EJ came over to check on him. "I can tell you are over the moon," EJ mentioned. "Does that mean you've already got the engagement ring ready?"

Chad laughed and said, "Not yet. I want to make sure Will and I make that decision together."

"That's smart," EJ acknowledged. "Any clue who you may ask to officiate your wedding?"

Chad glanced at EJ and tried to read him. He didn't know why his brother would ask about wedding plans when he and Will weren't even engaged. "I'm not really sure," he started. "I guess we could ask the mayor or someone similar in stature… haven't thought that far out…"

"Right," EJ replied before leaning in to suggest, "You should consider our sister, Alexandra…"

Unsure how he should respond, Chad turned around and saw Jade was now dancing with Will. "How is _that_ going for you?"

Following the direction of his brother's gaze, EJ knew _that_ meant Jade. He blew out some air to show it could be better. "Things are going. Jade has taken a lot of my time recently, but I am glad she is living with me because it gives us a chance to grow closer as siblings."

Chad struggled for a bit as he reflected on what EJ said. He commented, "Lexie has Cameron and you have Jade."

Picking up on some animosity, EJ asked, "Everything okay, Chad?"

"I'm fine," Chad maintained before turning to the bar to grab his and Will's drinks. "I need to get this back to Will."

"Wait," EJ stopped Chad from leaving. "Speaking of Jade, I need to ask you for a favor."

Chad placed the glasses down and said, "Sure."

EJ moved closer to Chad's head while keeping his eyes on his sister. "Jade really wants to be a part of the family company even if she's not a DiMera. I want you to let her perform here… at The Chill."

Giving his brother a look to ask if he was actually serious, Chad quickly stated, "I'm not sure I can do that because I don't even know if she can perform."

Pushing this, EJ strongly urged, "Just let her have a night to do a set. It would mean the world to her."

Chad still didn't like this idea. "I would, but I need to be a smart business owner and not make terrible and risky decisions that could leave a bad impression on The Chill."

He didn't mean to, but a laugh escaped his lips. EJ honestly asked, "Are you serious right now?"

Chad got offended and wondered, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Settling down, EJ sincerely questioned, "Do I need to bring up the twitter war with a famous privileged _singer_?"

Shaking his head, Chad told his brother, "You do not need to bring up Taylor West." Annoyed now, he stated, "The best I can do is give Jade an audition and go from there." He contemplated doing Jade's audition at a karaoke night in his head, but he decided not to tell EJ that much.

"Fine," EJ conceded. "I just want to make sure Jade is happy in Salem."

Grabbing the drinks again, Chad gave EJ an understanding nod before returning to his boyfriend.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After discussing the party tonight and Chelsea with Cameron, Chad rejoined Lexie in the waiting room. "Any news yet?"

Lexie shook her head and said, "My mother should be here soon. Did you talk to Frank?"

Chad nodded his head and shared, "I did. We are still working on finding Stefano." He felt weird not having his phone.

Placing her hand on Chad's shoulder, Lexie encouraged, "We will handle Stefano together if he decides to make an appearance."

Trying not to let his resentment of his father get the best of him, Chad pushed, "Stefano can't ruin things – not again."

Celeste rushed into the room when she found Lexie and Chad. Giving them a confused look, she commented, "I am surprised to see you are still here, Chad. I thought you only dropped Alexandra off, and that is why she needed a ride back to her home."

"Chad's not staying long," Lexie told her mother instantaneously. "He has a few things he needs to take care of."

Remembering the plan Lexie mentioned earlier, Chad took the hint and calmly added, "Dario is heading up to help me with some last-minute stuff for the wedding."

Celeste sensed a weird confusion suddenly. "I was with Cameron when he received the text from Stefano. I haven't sensed any negative feelings concerning your wedding."

Seeing that as a good sign, Chad said, "I'm happy to hear that, but I know I need to keep my eyes open for Stefano. I wonder if your good vibes mean he will be put out of commission before the wedding."

Lexie eyed Chad and wondered if this would get out of hand. "Let's not focus on that," she stated. She didn't want to see him get consumed with the same darkness that consumed her.

Giving in to his sister's direction, Chad said, "You're right. This will be a great weekend for everyone."

A few moments later, Dario arrived and greeted everyone in the room before saying, "Maxine told me I could find you in here."

Suddenly giving Chad a hug, Lexie encouraged her brother to leave. "You need to get ready for this weekend."

Chad gave his sister a warm look as he reassured, "Everything will be fine. Theo looks good."

Lexie wanted to believe Chad was right. "I'm feeling a lot more positive after seeing him earlier."

"We'll see you tonight, and make sure Theo knows he doesn't have to come if he's not up to it." After Lexie nodded her head, Chad and Dario headed out.

* * *

 _Monday, December 14th, 2015_

* * *

"Thanks for hanging out with me after work," Chad told Dario as they took a seat near the bar at The Chill. The place was empty.

Dario didn't mind hanging with Chad. "It's nice to relax and spend time together. I need a break from studying from finals anyway."

Chad scratched the back of his head and divulged, "There's a specific reason I asked you to hang out solo tonight."

"Oh yeah?" Dario was curious – though he already had his suspicions. "Everything okay?"

Smiling widely to show Dario he had nothing to worry about, Chad joyfully replied, "Everything is great, and I am hoping you can make it even better."

Feeling a bit pressured, Dario nervously said, "I'll try."

Dropping his hand onto the clean bar, Chad started, "Remember that conversation we had in the garden at the mansion when I first returned to Salem?" After Dario nodded his head, Chad continued, "Since that day I found out you were really my cousin, you have truly been by my side cheering me on no matter what. If it wasn't for you, I never would have made it this far with Will."

"You were there for me, too," Dario stated to show the appreciation was mutual.

Chad grinned and decided, "I'll just come out with it then. Will you be my best man?"

"Of course," Dario said with a huge grin on his face. "I am surprised you asked me because I thought you would ask EJ."

Lowering his head somewhat, Chad reflected on how he wasn't as close to EJ as he once was. "Yeah, I guess at one point I probably would have asked him, but things are different now. I'm okay with how things have changed."

Dario continued to smile widely. "We've got each other," he said trying not to think about Ignazio.

Happy, Chad stood up with Dario so they could hug each other.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Chad and Dario brought in a few bags and Chad's luggage into Dario's mansion. "Do you have everything you need?" Dario questioned.

"I believe so," Chad answered before taking a deep breath. "I think I know what I'm wearing tonight now," he proudly announced.

"Awesome."

Chad was starting to get lost in the excitement of his wedding this weekend. "So… what's going to happen after the meeting? What did you and Sonny plan for the bachelor party?"

Dario moved his fingers across his lips. "My lips are sealed, but I promise it will be a fun night. We should get ready."

Deciding he would enjoy the party more if he was in the dark, Chad agreed and followed Dario to the room he would be staying in for the night. He thought about the surprise he had of his own and revealed, "I actually have my own announcement to make tonight. I hope it will make Will very happy."


	38. Celeste Perrault

**Chapter 38: Celeste Perrault – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **O** mens can come in many forms. They are clear as the day or ominous as the night. Interpretations can be limitless, but making the wrong assumption can be deadly.

* * *

 _Saturday, September 28th, 2013_

* * *

"Celeste, can you hear me?"

Celeste could hear Joselyn's voice, but she could not see her. Laying on the ground in the DiMera owned castle in Urbino, she was bleeding from debris that had fallen on top of her. She was in excruciating pain, but even in her dilemma she could not stop thinking about Cameron. She hated Stefano for taking him away from her and wondered how Maddalena found out about him.

"Celeste, stay with me," Joselyn repeated.

Celeste searched her surroundings for Joselyn once more, but something else happened. She suddenly found herself standing in front of the casket for Stefano's funeral before the explosions went off. Those who attended stood around her yelling at Stefano for ruining their lives, but Celeste kept her focus on the casket.

A familiar ominous song began to play. " _I danced with a million devils. Died from a life of sin. Made love to a million angels. Murdered a million men. There will be blood_ …"

Blood began to escape the cracks and creases of the casket in front of Celeste. She watched in horror as the flow grew stronger and faster by the second. Turning to face those around her, even Stefano, Celeste tried to warn everyone. "We must get out. Danger is here!" No one would listen though.

Coming out of her vision, Celeste laid on the ground injured. She remembered where she was when she heard Manny speak, "We'll get help."

Celeste saw Manny leave the destroyed castle with Theo and Joselyn. Now Lexie sat next to her. "Hold on, mom. I am so sorry for everything, and I wish I put more faith in you. I shouldn't have shut you out. I should have listened to you…"

Celeste looked to her daughter and tried to comfort her through her pain. "Darling, I am happy… you and Theo… are safe now. You must tell your brother… you have another brother… It is Cameron…"

With a nod, Lexie caressed the top of her mom's head. "I know mom. Just conserve your energy. We're getting you out of here."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After Chad left the hospital with Dario, Celeste thought about how she told Chad she did not sense anything bad happening at his wedding. He seemed determined to do whatever necessary to make sure Stefano did not get in the way. Focusing on her daughter, she asked, "Are you worried about Stefano?"

Lexie turned to her mother, and though she had fleeting concerns about what Chad would do, she told herself he would come to his senses and remember his focus should only be on Will. Remembering her plan to help her son, she replied, "I'm not really. I'm more concerned about Theo."

Confused, Celeste brought up, "You told Chad you were feeling positive about Theo's situation."

Lexie clarified, "I do believe Theo will be discharged today, but I also told Chad that so he would leave. I've been thinking, and I fear that if something doesn't change, Theo will keep ending up in the hospital only to take tests that will show nothing."

Celeste was happy Lexie wanted to discuss Theo's unusual circumstance, but before she could say anything, Cameron walked into the hospital waiting room and interrupted. With a look of realization, he said, "I can come back…"

Lexie swiftly stopped Cameron from leaving. "You're fine because we are waiting on news to see if Theo will be released today. I will go and find Daniel to see if there is any news."

Disappointed, Celeste watched as her daughter left. They would have to talk about Theo and his gift later.

* * *

 _Wednesday, March 5th, 2014_

* * *

Now that Celeste had come out of her coma, Lexie and Nathan met with her to discuss her road to recovery and what it would look like. Since Theo walked out, Lexie felt more comfortable informing her mother on what happened and how she got to the hospital. After she and Nathan filled in most of the blanks, Celeste tried to process it all. "Thanks for taking good care of me. I want to talk to Theo though. I should also talk to Cameron – I didn't say much the last time he was here."

Lexie caught her mother's attention. "Slow down, mom. You will have time for all that after you are cleared to leave." She didn't think it would be wise if Celeste and Theo discussed anything else at this point because she didn't want to upset her son even more. She hoped Cameron was okay watching him.

Chad knocked on the door before entering. "I heard the good news and decided to stop by."

Seeing an opportunity, Lexie pulled Nathan aside and requested, "Can I talk to you in private?" After Nathan agreed, Lexie turned to her brother and asked, "Can you keep an eye on my mom to make sure she doesn't overdo anything."

"I will," Chad promptly promised. After Lexie and Nathan left, he moved closer to Celeste. "Do you remember anything that happened?"

Celeste thought about what Lexie and Nathan told her and what she could actually recount from her experience. "I remember some. I tried to stop the bombs from going off. I remember seeing Azzura's dead body. Did Theo tell anyone about it?" She remembered how Theo rushed out of the room because she couldn't help him get rid of his gift. She was so worried about him.

Shaking his head, Chad showed he was surprised by what Celeste said. "I had no idea you two actually saw Azzura's dead body."

Trying to sit up more, Celeste asked with some urgency in her voice, "Has there been any word from André?"

Confused, Chad gave Celeste a concerned look. "André is dead," he reminded her.

Celeste looked away to take in what Chad said. Rubbing the top of her head, she apologetically stated, "I meant Stefano. Not André. Stefano."

Chad scratched the back of his head wondering if he should be the one telling Celeste all of this. "EJ and Lexie saw Stefano before he managed to escape."

Noting that Chad did not call Stefano _father_ , Celeste remembered a conversation she had with Stefano before he left Salem. "Once again, Stefano puts himself above all others."

"Are you really surprised by this?" Chad rhetorically questioned. Now that he and Will could focus on building their home again, he wanted to make sure Stefano didn't get in the way of that anymore.

Celeste continued to think about the conversation she had with Stefano in her old apartment. "I am not a cheerleader of Stefano's but in his own way, he does love his children even if it is an extremely dangerous and unstable love. At the end of 2012, he came to me because he was concerned about your involvement with Maddalena. He didn't want you to get mixed up with her."

Chad immediately shook his head. "This is a joke because after Maddalena stabbed him on the pier, he asked me to return to Salem to help him figure out who stabbed him while also requesting I keep his big secret of him actually being awake. He told me he didn't know who was responsible, but it was a lie because he already did. It was only a ploy to set up Maddalena and get some sort of sick entertainment from everyone he knew." Trying to control the contempt inside of him, he continued, "Stefano never cared for me in the end. It's all fun and games for him, and when someone gets hurt, it's even better for him."

Celeste could see Chad was clearly jaded. "Did you only come here to check on me?" she frankly asked.

With some shame on his face, Chad admitted, "I came to see if you could help me."

"What sort of assistance do you need?"

Taking a moment to breathe deeply, Chad eventually shared, "I want to know if you have any insight on how to be rid of Stefano permanently."

Celeste's brain returned to when she was alone with Stefano in her apartment. "Something strange happened the same night I had that conversation with Stefano about you and Maddalena," she admitted before revealing, "Stefano left while accidentally dropping a pin on the floor. When I picked it up, I felt something dark – a dark energy that told me a tragedy was coming."

Intrigued, Chad questioned, "Did you see anything specifically?"

Celeste swallowed recognizing that the feeling was still impacting her in this moment. She looked to Chad and said, "I saw this all ending with Stefano in a pool of blood."

Hearing Celeste's words, a memory came to Chad. "He did end up that way on the pier when he was stabbed… well, I can't remember if he was actually in a pool of his own blood though." Wracking his brain on trying to remember the exact details of that night, he continued, "Things didn't end there either though."

With an anxious sigh, Celeste admitted, "I believe Stefano's attack on the pier was connected to my omen, but it's possible I could be wrong." She began to rub her head again as she suddenly felt overcome due to overworking herself.

Chad realized he may be pushing Celeste too much. "Are you okay?"

Continuing to rub her head, Celeste maintained, "I will be fine, but my Self is slowly coming back to reality." She took a moment to rest her brain before saying, "After you escaped Salem, I left as well because I felt compelled to leave. I had to protect the family by searching for secrets connected to Maddalena, Azzura, and Madeline. I was close to uncovering a tie with André, but then I felt the pull to return you to Salem so the answers could become clearer."

Chad reflected on the contents of his mother's diary and how the secrets within it were revealed. "I am still looking into finding more information from my mother's past, but it's been difficult. Maybe we have learned what we needed. Maddalena lost Gustavo because of Stefano. Maddalena pushed André away afterwards. Stefano took in André and used his abandonment for his own gain."

"André was psychotic, but also very intelligent," Celeste cut in.

Releasing a long audible sigh, Chad stated, "It's a good thing André killed himself because Stefano doesn't need access to that kind of psychotic intellect anymore."

Celeste felt a chill and nodded her head in agreement.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After Cameron headed out to meet Chelsea at Salem Place, Lexie turned to her mother and said, "I couldn't find Daniel. He must be with Dr. Wesley and the radiologist. You and I really need to talk about Theo."

Celeste quickly agreed. "Alexandra, I am concerned because Theodore may have caused this by fighting his gift."

Surprising her mother, Lexie admitted, "I have realized this and just wanted to see the first tests to make sure. I also kept you away to avoid upsetting Theo further because he doesn't want to talk to me about it either. I don't need Daniel to come in and tell me there's still nothing showing up on the results. Will this continue to happen as long as he pushes these visions or feelings out?"

With some fear, Celeste regretfully confirmed it. "I believe so."

Lexie rubbed her forehead and said, "I know Theo is stuck on the idea that he should not accept his gift, but I will do what I have to do. With you driving the both of us home, I will try to convince Theo to talk to you."

Daniel abruptly entered the room with news. "Theo has been cleared for discharge as the results are still in the clear. It seems this won't happen again. Although we don't have any answers as to what could have caused the seizure, I need you to look for signs."

Agreeing to Daniel's instructions, Lexie thanked him before following Daniel to Theo's room to help him get ready. Celeste still felt anxious about the ride home.

* * *

 _Thursday, May 22nd, 2014_

* * *

After being discharged from the hospital, Celeste met with Cameron at the pub to talk to him one on one for the first time since she remembered his birth. She also now realized how her dreams that featured the theme from _Swan Lake_ were trying to tell her about Cameron's existence. "There is so much we need to discuss because you are my son, and I had no idea until before the explosion. Stefano took those memories from me after taking you away from me. I am sorry I was unaware."

Even though he had some time to adjust to finding out his true parentage, Cameron still felt a bit overwhelmed by it. For one, Celeste had been in a coma for a lot of the time since he discovered the truth, and two, he struggled with the fact that Stefano gave him away because he was half black. "Stefano is truly evil for what he did, but I am thankful I had Maxine for a mother because she really did raise me in the best way."

Celeste reflected on how she gave Lexie away and told Cameron, "I do not want this to be uncomfortable. I understand you already have a mother." She remembered the original name she gave Cameron: Alexandru.

"I still want to know you and my sister though," Cameron maintained. Even if this was uncomfortable, he did not want to let that get in the way of what he knew he should do. Celeste definitely deserved the opportunity to know him.

With a nod, Celeste replied, I want that as well." Glancing down at her hands, she showed her insecurities with the way she couldn't sit calmly. "I am not perfect. Have you spent much time with Alexandra and Theodore?"

Cameron confirmed it. "Theo seems more comfortable around me now, and Brandon has helped with that. I'm really excited about Theo's birthday coming up…" Focusing on his sister, he shared, "Lexie is in a better place, and we have bonded as well. I have learned so much about her past and how it has shaped her."

"Has Alexandra discussed my past?"

"I know some of it," Cameron revealed. "I know you have a complicated history with Stefano, which I guess should be obvious since Lexie and I exist."

Continuing to focus on her hands, Celeste spoke, "I asked my sister to take care of Alexandra to protect her from Stefano because of the biracial issue." She raised her head somewhat as she continued, "Unfortunately, I was unable to hide my pregnancy when I was pregnant with you."

Cameron heard shame in Celeste's voice and admitted, "It's hard to know Stefano didn't want me because I am half black, but then I think about how Stefano came around concerning Lexie…"

Celeste finally made eye contact with Cameron once again. She warned, "Be careful because Stefano can pull you in making you believe it is safe and a warm love he has to offer." Shaking her head, she shamefully confessed, "I am guilty of many horrible actions. I did them for Stefano. I planted false memories in Hope Brady. I almost burned Marlena and John Black alive in Maison Blanche because I was obsessed with Stefano's love. I was jealous of the way he felt about Marlena."

Before Celeste could continue confessing, Cameron grabbed her hands to stop her. "You don't have to do this because Lexie has told me about Stefano's influence and how he uses broken people to his advantage. I understand you made decisions you are not proud of, but you also seem to be where you need to be to protect everyone from Stefano now."

Celeste nodded her head taking in Cameron's words. "I have dedicated my life to keeping my family safe. Again, I apologize I was not aware of your birth because my life may have played out differently if I remembered your existence and how you were taken away."

Trying to take the guilt away from Celeste, Cameron upheld, "Everything happens for a reason. It will all work out now."

Celeste continued to agree with Cameron while noting it was hard to read him.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

While waiting for Theo and Lexie, Celeste pulled out her tarot cards due to her inability to escape a strange feeling all day. As she shuffled her deck, she felt as though something was coming and wished to fully understand it.

Celeste laid a few of her cards on the table. She flipped over the first one revealing the _Death_ card. What did this mean? Celeste needed to know more.

Just as Celeste was about to flip over another card, Maxine entered the waiting room. "What on earth do you think you're doing? You can't do that here."

Celeste immediately put her cards away and tried to placate Maxine. "I was only passing time until Alexandra and Theodore were ready."

Maxine decided not to make a big deal about it and shared, "Lexie sent me to tell you they are ready to leave and are waiting for you near the nurses' station. It's good that Theo is going to be fine."

"Thanks for letting me know," Celeste said with a pleased nod. She couldn't help note though how awkward things remained between her and Maxine.

* * *

 _Tuesday, June 17th, 2014_

* * *

Arriving to the hospital for a checkup, Celeste exited the elevator and found Maxine standing near the nurses' station. Since she had time to spare, she approached her. "Nurse Maxine, I would like to discuss Cameron with you if you have time." She wondered if there was something hidden from Cameron's past that she needed to uncover.

Maxine turned around revealing a look of discomfort. "I've been meaning to reach out to you but I kept putting it off," she admitted. She didn't know how to feel about the town psychic being the real mother of the son she raised.

To help with the uneasiness of this conversation, Celeste reiterated, "You are Cameron's mother. You raised him and watched him grow. I do wonder though, what he was like growing up."

Relaxing a bit, Maxine didn't look directly at Celeste as she reminisced on her son's childhood. "Cameron was a good kid. He got into things and was always very curious, but he did what he was told to do and was extremely helpful in a very direct way."

"I have noticed that about his personality," Celeste acknowledged aloud. "What of the father who helped raise him?"

Celeste's latest question through Maxine off. A tension returned in her body as she revealed, "He went missing one night…"

"What happened?" Celeste immediately questioned. The considerate tone she used before was no longer there.

The tension only increased. "I do not want to discuss that with you," Maxine adamantly refrained. "Now, if you want to discuss Cameron in any other form such as his health issues and high IQ score, I am more than welcome to discuss those things, but my former husband is off limits."

Hearing that Cameron had health issues, Celeste requested, "Please tell me more about his health."

Maxine showed she still felt very uncomfortable and flustered. She purposely looked at the time and apologized, "I am sorry, but I no longer have time to talk. We should try again another time."

Celeste watched as Maxine walked away in a hurry. She knew the woman who raised Cameron was not genuine in her apology and only wanted to escape having to say anything more. Celeste wondered what it all meant. Who was Maxine's husband?

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

In the parking garage at the hospital, Lexie convinced Theo to sit in the front seat next to his grandmother as Celeste drove them home. Celeste kept her eyes on the road but would glance at her grandson here and there. "How are you feeling, Theodore?"

Theo focused outside of his window. He knew his mom wanted him to talk to Celeste about what happened, but he still wasn't sure that was a good idea. "I'm fine. I want to get home so I can get ready for the rehearsal dinner tonight."

From the back seat, Lexie shared, "Chad said you don't have to go if you aren't up to it."

"I still want to go," Theo unflinchingly declared.

Trying to get her grandson to open up more, Celeste asked, "Do you remember anything when you had your seizure?"

Theo rested his head against the tinted window and said, "I don't want to talk about it." He wondered if his mother told her mom that he had a vision.

Celeste wasn't going to give up. "How did you manage to suppress your gift? It seems like you haven't had an episode in a long time."

Theo stalled but showed he was remembering something by the perplexed expression on his face. Lexie noted it right away even though she was sitting in the back. "Theo, tell me what you did."

Figuring he should just be honest, Theo admitted, "I got help from someone."

"Who did you get help from?" Celeste asked with concern.

Theo was not going to tell them who and realized he shouldn't have said anything at all. "It doesn't matter at this point because it worked."

Celeste made eye contact with Lexie through the rearview mirror. "I'm not so sure it did because of your seizure."

Getting frustrated, Theo firmly pushed, "Can we just drop this?"

Lexie patted Theo's shoulder because she didn't want to get him worked up. "Fine. We'll leave you alone." She figured they could get more from him later once he was home.

Celeste remained quiet dissecting the little Theo did share. Who did he get help from? How did he find this person?

* * *

 _Sunday, July 27th, 2014_

* * *

Making lunch for Theo while he sat at the table, Celeste tried to get her grandson to talk about his gift. "Have you finally accepted it or do you still believe you can be rid of it?"

Theo knew right away what his grandmother was referring to. "You told me you would not help me, so I have nothing to say to you about it."

Celeste took a seat next to Theo and cautioned him. "The best thing you can do is accept it and let it happen. Your life will be a lot easier if you do so." Calming her tone, she continued, "I will help train you as I was trained in Tibet…"

Scoffing at the idea that his life would be simpler if he accepted his gift, Theo interjected, "It would be easier if I didn't have it. I will find a way to get rid of it."

Wishing she could get through to Theo, Celeste admitted, "You may be able to suppress it, but you will never be rid of your gift."

Standing from the table, Theo announced, "I'm not hungry," before heading to his room. He had already found a way she may not have realized was there and decided not to tell her because he feared she would try to talk him out of it.

Celeste leaned back and sighed.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After telling Lexie and Theo that she would check in with them later and to have fun at the party, Celeste exited the Carver house deciding against attending Chad and Will's party because she needed to contact some of her past connections. Leaving the front door for her car, she found Ciara approaching the Carver home. "Ciara, what are you doing here?"

Ciara looked up to where Theo's room was. "Are Theo and Lexie here? I heard Theo got released."

"They are," Celeste confirmed. "They are getting ready for the party tonight."

Pulling out Abe's watch, Ciara looked it over. "I guess I should just wait to give this back to Theo tonight then."

Celeste studied the watch in Ciara's hand and asked, "How did you get that?" She felt a powerful energy exuding Abe's watch.

Thinking nothing of it, Ciara explained, "Theo gave it to me yesterday when we talked at the hospital."

Celeste remembered when Lexie led Ciara to talk to Theo. "Did Theodore tell you of his experience?"

"He did," Ciara confessed as she thought about what Theo told her. She looked up from the watch and into Celeste's eyes. Sensing a familiarity unexpectedly, fear began to fill her body. She did not understand what exactly triggered it.

"What happened?"

Ciara looked into Celeste's ravenous eyes and realized why she suddenly felt so fearful. She swallowed hard remembering how she cowered to the teacher in her dream. It was like she was in that room all over again. Unable to control her lips, Ciara revealed, "I'm worried about Theo. Theo had a vision again and in his vision, he saw Stefano."

Celeste stepped back in shock breaking the strong link between her and Ciara. "He saw Stefano?" she questioned. "Did he give you any specifics?"

With the link severed, Ciara wiped her eyes because they had started to water due to her lack of self-control. "I… I shouldn't have told you that just now. I promised Theo I wouldn't."

Seeing the uncertain guilt upon Ciara's face, Celeste assured her, "Do not worry because we need to help Theodore with this. You must keep talking to him about it, okay?"

Ciara felt extremely uncomfortable with what just happened. "I don't feel right doing that. I… I have to go… I have to get ready for the party, too."

Celeste watched as Ciara rushed off with Abe's watch still in her hand. She wondered what Stefano was up to now.


	39. Gabriella Hernandez, Part 2

**Chapter 39: Gabriella Hernandez, Part 2 – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **L** etting go was not an option. Losing wasn't either. Gabi really struggled because today was important for her and her little family. Even if she hadn't had the best luck romantically, she felt very blessed by the love she experienced daily with her son. Watching him closely, she remembered the first time he called her Mama the same way she called Isobel Mama. It was such a special moment – one she would cherish forever.

While helping Carter get dressed, Gabi's phone began to ring. Standing up, she directed her son to put on his shoes before grabbing her cell to answer. "Hey Andrew." Her dynamic with Andrew was something she didn't fully understand, but she didn't have the time to explore that further at the moment. Carter was all that mattered.

Andrew cleared his throat when Gabi answered and nervously said, "I called because I want to make sure you are okay to go alone… to your meeting. If you're not, I can get someone to watch the pub for a while."

Andrew had stepped up to the plate a lot. It was very confusing to Gabi because they hadn't gone anywhere since they almost kissed a while back. Though she appreciated the gesture, she knew she couldn't say yes. "I'm okay to go alone," she answered. "Carter is dressed, so I'm about to drop him off at Manny's."

"Call me if you need anything," Andrew replied showing some vulnerability in his voice. He couldn't hide the fact that he was a bit disappointed Gabi didn't want him around for support.

"I will," Gabi promised. "Thanks for checking in with me. I will see you later." After ending the call, Gabi took a deep breath, returned to Carter's side, and helped him remember how to tie his shoes. Carter hugged her, and she held him tight. "Everything will work out, little stinker. We'll be fine."

* * *

 _Monday, December 15th, 2014_

* * *

After Frank shared the news of T's death at the Brady Pub, Gabi watched as Chad comforted Will and remembered the last time she saw T. She tried to continue to process the news without breaking down, but she couldn't hold herself together. "Please excuse me," she told the others before walking past Andrew.

Andrew noticed Gabi was upset and tried to check in with her. "Gabi, everything okay?"

Thrown off by Andrew's concern for her, Gabi stalled for a second. "Please cover for me," she managed to tell him before heading up the stairs.

Caroline was watching Carter when Gabi suddenly entered the room. She noted Gabi had tears in her eyes and wondered what made her so emotional. Believing it had to do with Nicholas, she moved closer to the edge of the couch wondering if she should try to reach out to her.

Gabi picked up Carter and continued to cry. Processing the news she was told downstairs, she realized T would never know he had a son before grasping Carter would never know his real father. Almost inconsolable, she wished things could have played out differently.

"Gabi, what happened?" Caroline finally released.

Realizing she must have startled Caroline, Gabi apologized, "I'm sorry for just coming in, but I just need a minute."

"Mama, why are you crying?" Carter asked.

Gabi returned her attention to Carter and tried to smile through her tears. "Mama just loves you so much."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

"Thanks for watching Carter during my meeting with Justin," Gabi told her oldest living brother.

Manny placed his hand on Gabi's shoulder and sensed she was trying her hardest not to let this situation stress her out. "It's not a problem. I enjoy hanging out with my nephew and don't have much on my plate at the garage this weekend. Noah is there now and said he would call me if something came up."

Holding Carter's hand as he tried to pull away, Gabi kept her focus on Manny. "How are things with Noah?"

With a smile, Manny replied, "I appreciate the help he provides at the garage. We're learning a lot from each other. I'm glad I picked him to be my assistant."

"I'm glad things are working out for you," Gabi said before releasing her son's hand.

When Carter suddenly rushed to Manny's side, Manny laughed and declared, "I'll probably take him to the park or something."

Gabi leaned down and gave Carter a hug and kiss. "Mama will see you later, Carter."

When Gabi headed for the door, Manny followed her and asked, "Are you nervous?"

Playing it off, Gabi answered, "I know everything will work out."

* * *

 _Thursday, December 18th, 2014_

* * *

At T's burial, Gabi continued to intently watch T's parents. She couldn't stop thinking about how they didn't know she had custody of their grandson. Reminding herself that T had a break from his parents when he left Salem, she told herself that she also played a role in his leaving as well. She wished she had been in a better place. Maybe T wouldn't be dead if she were.

Gabi turned her attention to Carter as she continued to focus on the idea that she played a role in T's death. She took Carter's father from him. "Stop," Gabi mentally told herself. She needed to stop going there. She needed to focus on Carter. She needed to make sure he continued to get what he needed.

Looking up, Gabi caught Frank staring at her. She wondered why she kept finding his eyes on her. Something was up.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Arriving to Justin's law office, Gabi studied the dark decor in the reception area before she was told she could see Sonny's father. After walking into the office, she stated, "I decided to get here a bit early because I thought we could talk before our meeting."

Standing, Justin could sense Gabi's nervousness just like Manny. He walked around his desk and said, "I assure you this is simply a deliberation to see if we can all work together for Carter's sake."

Even though she already knew the point Justin was trying to sell, Gabi still lamented, "T's parents treated him horribly and didn't want to have anything to do with him when he left Salem. They cut him off completely." She followed Justin out of his office as he led her to a conference room.

Needing to check in with Gabi personally, Justin stopped walking and questioned, "Will you be able to keep your cool during this meeting?"

Gabi could feel this all falling apart. "I'm not sure," she admitted, "…because I don't want to give them anything. What if they keep pushing for more until they take Carter away from me completely?"

Justin realized Gabi was coming unglued. He waited until they were in the conference room to continue this conversation. Fanning his hands in a downward direction, he tried to get through to her. "Gabi, we've got this. Let me do the talking, so we can keep things civil. The most we will agree on is some visitation with Carter – once a month."

Gabi took a deep breath to calm herself. "Okay. I'll let you do all the talking."

Just then, T's parents walked in with their lawyer, Charles Woods, the former D.A. Gabi inhaled.

* * *

 _Saturday, August 8th, 2015_

* * *

Walking around the square with Carter, Gabi sighed when she received another text from Melanie asking about her brother, Nicholas. Melanie wanted to know about his leaving Salem without a word. Gabi didn't have any definite answers and wasn't sure what to say to Melanie at this point, so she chose not to respond. Putting her phone away, she continued her trek through the square.

Gabi suddenly stopped when she noticed T's parents were also there enjoying lunch in the square. She picked up her son and watched them from a distance. "They're clueless and have no idea Carter is their grandson," she continued to assure herself. She was seeing them more than she saw them at Salem University.

Kinsey walked up behind Gabi and startled her. "Boo…"

Gabi jumped and turned around. "Kinsey… what do you think you're doing? Why are you here?"

With a conniving smile, Kinsey said, "The real question is what you are doing here?" She peered past Gabi to watch T's parents. "Ah. It all makes sense."

Gabi was not amused. Attempting to play dumb, she said, "I have no idea what you're going on about. I'm…"

"Nope," Kinsey cut Gabi off. "You don't get to do that with me." She grabbed Carter's hand and gave him a smile before reminding Gabi, "I had this little boy before you did. You were watching T's parents because you're worried they'll find out the truth about Carter. Carter could get some money from the government due to T's death. You need to come forward and admit that T is Carter's father. I've done a lot of research, and I have all the paperwork ready for you to sign. I'm doing you a favor here."

Noting some confusion on her son's face, Gabi pulled Carter away from Kinsey so Kinsey couldn't touch him anymore. She knew Kinsey was doing this because she wanted a cut of the money. "You have no right to be here. You abandoned him and denied T from him in the first place."

Running thin on patience, Kinsey gave Gabi an unamused look. "What am I doing? I don't need you to tell them."

When Kinsey started to approach T's parents, Gabi tried to stop her by grabbing her arm. "Don't."

Kinsey jerked her arm away from Gabi and continued to approach T's parents. "I have an announcement to make…"

T's mother looked up from her food and when she saw Kinsey in front of her, disgust covered her face. "What is this? What are you doing back in Salem?"

Kinsey ignored the disappointment covered on T's parents' faces and said, "It's nice to see the both of you as well. I have news that will change your lives forever."

Without missing a beat, T's father quipped, "Do you have terminal cancer?"

Gabi continued to watch the whole ordeal from where she stood. She had never seen anyone make Kinsey speechless in this way.

T's mother smirked at Kinsey and proudly stated, "We are so happy T died away from you."

Completely upset and humiliated, Kinsey mouthed off whatever she could to make them feel the same thing she was feeling. "T really hated you and wanted nothing to do with you before he died so you two sucked as parents!"

When Kinsey walked off, Gabi quickly followed her and asked, "Why didn't you tell them?"

Seething, Kinsey admitted, "I forgot how much I hate Mr. and Mrs. Winchester and how truly awful they are. When I went on vacation with them after high school, I was cornered by T's parents because they wanted me gone and out of his life."

Gabi stood there in shock. She didn't know what to think of the fact that Kinsey hated T's parents more than she loved money. "Thanks for not messing this up," she exhaled.

Working on her breathing to calm herself down, Kinsey quickly shared, "This isn't over, Gabi. I will get my son back so I can have that money. This is definitely not over."

Gabi stepped back and watched as Kinsey stomped off. She held onto Carter wondering if this was really happening.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Eventually, Kinsey's love of money won out and now Gabi found herself here with T's parents. After sitting down at the conference table, Justin tried to start things off in a civil manner. "Thanks for agreeing to meet in my office."

Before Justin could continue, Charles announced, "Mr. and Mrs. Winchester are filing for sole custody of Carter because he is their blood and not Ms. Hernandez's."

Unable to stay quiet, Gabi turned to T's parents and emphatically said, "I raised Carter since Kinsey left him at my doorstep. I have legal custody of Carter."

Justin stopped Gabi from saying more by placing his hand on her arm. Attempting to keep the peace, he said, "I'm sorry, but we have to think of Carter's welfare here. As far as Carter is concerned, Gabi is his mother."

T's father, Dean Winchester as Gabi knew him, stepped in and said, "We have the paperwork already." After Charles slid the paperwork over to Justin's side, T's father continued, "We are thinking of Carter's best interests here because Gabi is the reason T ran out of Salem to join the army to eventually get killed overseas."

Taken back, Gabi was about to go off on them again, but Justin kept her at bay. "This is not how this is going down," he told Charles and T's parents.

Mrs. Winchester now spoke. "If Gabi doesn't sign custody of Carter to where he rightfully belongs, then we will see you in court where a judge will make sure it happens."

Taking his clients' lead, Charles stood up with them to walk out. "I hope to hear your answer soon."

Gabi leaned back in her chair wondering what this would do. Everything was about to change.

As Gabi remained silent, Justin tried to check in with her. "I will not let this happen. I will ask Shawn to dig into anything he can find on the dean and his wife to make sure they do not move forward on this."

Gabi shook her head and cried, "This can't be happening." She knew that T's parents had ties throughout Salem and were friends with very prominent figures in the community. There was no way she would win this case.


	40. William Horton

**Chapter 40 William Horton – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **L** ife seemed to always have a way of working out in the end. This was the truth Will decided to tell himself after what happened the night before. Stefano could try as hard as he could to rule over them, but no matter how hard he tried, they would always win.

Stefano was weaker now. He was hiding. Maybe this was just another game. Maybe this was another trick, but that wasn't important. In a day, Chad would be Will's husband, and that was all that mattered.

Lowering his head under the shower head, Will ran his hands through his hair to rinse out the shampoo. He continually told himself to think positively as he turned around to clear his face of the left-over suds. After he was finished, he turned off the water.

Opening the glass door, Will stepped out of the spacious shower, grabbed a large towel, and began to dry off when his phone started to ring. He quickly dried his hands before he grabbed it off the beautifully built bathroom sink and answered, "Hey dad."

"I'm calling to make sure you're still coming to family brunch," Lucas stated.

Wondering if that was the real reason Lucas called, Will replied, "I'm about to get dressed and head over now."

Lucas continued, "A lot of people will be disappointed if you don't."

Will tried to get his father off his back by saying, "If I don't get off the phone, I won't make it."

After laughing, Lucas shared, "We will talk at brunch then."

"See you then," Will said before ending the call. He wondered if this was about him not going to the pub last night before remembering that Gabi had a meeting with Justin today. He decided to give her a quick call to check on her.

Unfortunately, the call went straight to voicemail. After the beep, he said, "Hey Gabi. Just calling to wish you well with your meeting today. I will try to call you again later."

Ending the call, Will finished drying off and headed for his closet to get dressed. On his way, he made sure to slap Chad's butt to grab his attention. When Chad turned, he gave him a wink and continued his way to his closet to pick out what he would wear today. Finding the key Chad gave him, Will smiled as he put it on. His thoughts went to how it was the beginning of the weekend. He hoped nothing went wrong.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

After talking with Chad, Will headed out and arrived to Chez Rouge to find Sami in front waiting for his arrival. After giving his mother a hug, he asked, "Is Maggie here so I can thank her for hosting brunch?" He looked the place over and noticed Lucas wasn't around even though he called Will to make sure he was coming.

Sami glanced over to make sure the kids were behaving. "Sarah went ahead and opened the restaurant for us since Maggie is actually running late… oh, and your great-grandmother is not going to make it."

"Is she okay?" Will asked with concern.

Sami assured her son, "She just wants to rest to make sure she saves her energy for the wedding tomorrow."

Will hoped that was it but still decided, "I will visit her after brunch then."

Wondering if Will was taking it easy, Sami encouragingly replied, "That's a good idea." In the back of her mind, she couldn't stop thinking about Stefano's video and the promises he made.

Arriving with Marlena, Eric quickly pulled Will into a hug. He was happy things were moving in a positive direction for him and Nicole, but he felt even more excited for his nephew this weekend. "So is this how we're starting this weekend's festivities?"

After giving Marlena a hug, Will grabbed the back of his neck because he wasn't sure what was happening today. He wasn't the one who planned this. "I guess…"

Marlena began to dote on Will by holding onto his arm. "I am so very happy for you. You're happy, too, right?"

Will smiled wide and immediately said, "Of course."

Directing the others, Sami stated, "We should sit and wait for the others to arrive."

"I'll stay up here and greet everyone," Will decided. He was over the moon to have the family coming together like this, and he couldn't wait to see the others who would arrive tomorrow.

After Sami, Eric, and Marlena headed for the long table that was set for the family, Lucas walked in with Allie. Will hugged both as Lucas shared, "Sophie wishes she could be here, but she has school today."

Will thought about what happened with Theo. "Theo was in her class when he had the seizure yesterday, right?"

Lucas nodded his head remembering how shook up his wife was about it all. "Yeah. She wanted to see him earlier this morning, but I guess they were still running tests on him."

Will thought about how he didn't really have an update on Theo because of Stefano's video. "Chad seemed hopeful when he came back from the hospital yesterday."

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Lucas quickly stated. He didn't want Will to feel down about anything this weekend "I also talked to my mom on the way over. She is headed this way with Philip, Rex, and Cassie."

Will was sincerely starting to get into the spirit. "I feel really special that the family is coming together and starting the weekend with me."

Before Lucas could respond, Shawn, Belle, and Claire came in and hugged Will before sitting down. "We all clearly care about you very much," Lucas pointed out.

Roman popped up in Will's mind, and for a split second, he pondered the possibility that his grandfather could be Stefano's second gift. Reminding himself to put Stefano to the back of his mind, he focused on how blessed he was. "If you want, you can sit as well, dad."

"I'm good," Lucas claimed. "I'll stand here because _my son_ is getting married. I'm so happy for you."

Beaming, Will commented, "I remember how happy I was for you when you married Sophie. There is this moment especially that comes to mind. I was standing next to grandma Kate at the reception. We watched you with Sophie as you thanked all the guests for coming. Your face was probably the happiest I have ever seen."

Lucas exhaled peacefully as he remembered the day well. "It was a great day for me, and I know you will have the same experience tomorrow."

"I know I will, too."

Kate walked in with Rex, Philip, and Cassie before Maggie walked in; they were the last to arrive. As Will gave everyone hugs, Rex looked the place over and questioned, "Where's Chad?"

Will noted the disappointed look on his uncle as he shared, "Chad is helping Lexie with Theo."

"We should sit so we can start brunch," Lucas directed.

Heading for the table, Kate took Will's arm and whispered, "I am so happy for you. You have nothing to worry about this weekend. No one will get in the way of your happiness."

Will hugged Kate once more. "I really want to thank you for everything you have done for me. I don't know if I would be here today if it wasn't for you pushing me and Chad together."

Kate squeezed her grandson lovingly. She was so proud of him.

Taking a seat at the head of the table, Will watched as the food was served out to everyone. He never thought he would ever feel so celebrated.

Sami leaned into Will. "I thought you could share the proposal story to the family members who haven't heard the story," she told him rather loud.

Will laughed and reminded his mom, "That was over a year ago, so I am sure everyone has heard it by now."

Jennifer overheard Sami and Will and decided to help Sami in encouraging Will to tell the story. "We all want to hear it again regardless. It's so great."

Will agreed that it was great story and happily obliged.

* * *

 _Thursday, July 30th, 2015_

* * *

For their fourth wedding anniversary, EJ and Sami decided to have a party at Chez Rouge. Since things were winding down, Will told Chad he wanted to go for a walk outside. Chad gladly took Will's hand and followed him to a tree. When Will stopped, Chad gave his boyfriend a goofy smile as he teased, "Are you already tired of walking?"

Will gave Chad a knowing look because he knew his boyfriend was playing dumb. "This is the same place I told you that I love you," he reminded him. "Although things did not go well four years ago, it was also the moment when I realized what we could be."

Chad continued to grin. He admitted, "I should have kissed you that night." He leaned forward to kiss Will, but Will put his hand forward to stop him. Almost laughing, Chad wondered, "Are you getting your pay back now?"

"No," Will quickly denied it before getting down on one knee; he didn't care if his pants got dirty. He pulled out a ring from his pocket and mischievously asked, "Truth or Dare?"

Chad's smile grew even bigger. He couldn't help himself. "I thought I was supposed to be the cheesy one."

Will blushed and countered, "Stop it. You know you love it." He looked deeply into Chad's eyes and lit up even more as he asked once again, "Truth or Dare? Which do you choose?"

Chad wanted to milk this moment for as long as he could so he had an inner dialogue out loud. "I could pick dare, but we both know I can't say no to a dare, so maybe I should pick something different." Taking a deep breath, Chad finally answered, "Truth. I pick truth."

Clearing his throat, Will took Chad's hand and asked, "Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

Unable to wait any longer, Chad pulled Will up as he answered, "Yes. I will."

Will instantly kissed Chad as soon as he answered.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

With brunch over, everyone began to head out so they could get ready for tonight's big party. Will approached Marlena and calmly asked, "Have you heard anything about Grandpa Roman?"

Marlena hated that this was happening before Will's wedding. "John is looking into it and actually sent me a message during breakfast with an update."

"What did John tell you?" Will asked with great curiosity.

Marlena wondered if she should tell Will what she knew and ultimately decided against it. "You don't need to worry about this, Will. John, Bo, Hope, and the police are handling this."

Slightly disappointed in himself, Will sighed and argued, "I can't just turn this off. For the longest time, I thought grandpa gave up on me because of my love for Chad, but it turns out, he was going after Stefano to make sure Stefano didn't destroy any more lives. Now he's missing, and he could be in trouble."

"Okay," Marlena caved. "You know most of what I know, but John told me your grandpa reached out to Shane a while back hoping to get some help in tracking down Rolf, Stefano's old doctor and scientist. He mentioned to your great-uncle that he may have uncovered some of Stefano's secret hide outs. He also commented on the fact that Peter and Kristen were the first to know about your grandfather and how suspicious that is."

Shuddering, Will commented, "I hate to think of Stefano having more secrets for us to uncover."

Feeling concerned about it all, Marlena lamented, "It's just crazy that this is happening all over again. What if Stefano has taken him to get back at me once again?"

Will found himself suddenly struggling to take his grandmother serious in her concern because he couldn't help noticing her selfish arrogance - the one she most likely passed onto his mother. Ever since he discovered the role she played in selling Kristen into sex slavery, he viewed her differently. Even though they sort of broached the subject some time ago, it still felt odd to know that she could make a decision like that. Was it okay to make others suffer so deeply and tragically to keep yourself and others you love safe?

Figuring she gave Will what he wanted, Marlena changed the subject on the fun of this weekend. "What do you have planned for the rest of the day before tonight?"

Will knew he needed to get out of his head and shared, "I'm heading to the pub where I am meeting Sonny. He is staying the night with me since Chad is staying with Dario."

"That is great," Marlena replied when her phone began to ring. It was John, but she didn't tell Will that because he seemed content now. "I will see you tonight."

As Marlena headed off to answer the phone call in private, Will's thoughts returned to his grandfather. He held the key Chad gave him and hoped Roman was okay wherever he was.

* * *

 _Saturday, September 5th, 2015_

* * *

Sami and Will returned to the DiMera mansion after shopping together. "I'm so excited you agreed on letting me feature your wedding in my wedding magazine for DiMera Enterprises."

Still feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all, Will admitted, "I feel weird planning all of this."

"Has Chad started his part of the planning?" Sami asked.

Shrugging his shoulders, Will replied, "I think he has done some, but we just started."

After putting the bags on the sofa, Sami shared some of her ideas. "I thought we could talk to Rebecca Jacobs about setting up cake testing at her shop. Do you think Chad would be up for that?"

Will gave his mother an uncertain look. "Chad will be fine, but I always wanted great-grandma to bake my wedding cake."

Sami gave Will an understanding look before returning her focus on the bags. She wanted to sort out what they bought. "I found a few invitations you may like," she mentioned with excitement.

Feeling a bit proud of himself, Will shared, "That's one thing Chad and I have worked on: who we're inviting." He pulled out his phone and opened up a list to show his mom, but then he saw Roman's name.

Sami noted that Will suddenly seemed down. "What just happened?"

Will handed his phone to Sami and shared, "I don't have an address for Grandpa Roman. I wonder if he'll even come since the last time I saw him he still wasn't impressed with Chad."

Wanting to encourage her son, Sami said, "We'll talk to your great-grandma to see if she has an address for him. We don't know if he will be at the wedding or not. We have a year most likely to find out, but if he doesn't come, it won't matter because that day will still be special. Look at my wedding and how he boycotted it. Sure, I resented your grandpa for not going, but we made peace and he apologized."

"Grandpa Roman still walked away from the family in the end," Will pointed out. "I wonder if he's given up on us because of our connection to the DiMera family."

Placing her hand on Will to make him stop, Sami asked, "What is this all about? I get the feeling this is about more than your grandpa."

His mother was right. Will looked on in a daze as he elaborated. "I'm so excited that Chad and I are getting married, but I am afraid of the possible fallout from the family."

Trying to track her son, Sami asked, "Fallout as in the fact that you're marrying a son of Stefano?"

"No," Will shook his head. "I can send the entire family invites, but what if some of them don't R.S.V.P. because the wedding is between two men? What if they look at our engagement pictures and they're totally disgusted?"

Sami took Will's hand and led him to the couch to sit. "Will, where is this coming from? Have you always worried about this?"

Will blew out some air and admitted, "In the back of my head, I always wondered what this would be like. I always questioned if I got the chance to marry someone if it would put a line in the sand, and sides would have to be chosen. So far everyone has been supportive to me, but then I see certain posts on Facebook and tweets on twitter, and I start to wonder if family members are trying to send me a message secretly. I just don't want to be disappointed."

Sami pulled Will close to comfort him. "We can't control how others respond, but we can control what those responses do to us."

Will leaned his head against his mother's. "I know you're right."

Pulling away from her son so she could look into his eyes, Sami recognized, "I know it's easier said than done, but I promise that no negativity will get in the way of you having the best wedding ever."

Will took a deep breath and hoped she was right.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Will entered the Brady Pub to find Caroline sitting at a booth alone enjoying some coffee. Her face lit up when she saw Will and tightly squeezed him when he hugged her. "I am so sorry for not making it to breakfast. I hate that I was too tired."

"It's okay, great-grandma," Will quickly excused her. "I wanted to spend some one on one time with you anyway."

After Will took a seat across from Caroline, Andrew came over and asked, "Will, do you want anything?"

Will nodded his head and said, "I'll take a glass of water."

Andrew rushed over and grabbed Will a glass of water. Placing it on the table in front of him, he said, "Here you go."

Will thanked Andrew before inquiring, "Have you talked to Gabi?"

With a nod, Andrew shared, "I did earlier, but Gabi seemed confident that everything would be fine." He tried to avoid thinking about how he put himself out there to be there for her only to be shut down. It was hard though even if he knew he had things to do for Will's wedding tomorrow.

"I hope so," Will responded.

Noting another table of customers was calling him over, Andrew dismissed himself. "I will see you tonight, Will."

When Andrew headed back to work, Caroline leaned in and asked, "How was brunch at Chez Rouge?"

Will smiled. "It was great to have a lot of the family there. I feel really blessed to have so much support in my life."

Caroline continued to feel bad for missing out. "I bet it was a sight to see everyone together like that. It will be even greater tomorrow at your wedding."

Will blissfully agreed before taking a big breath. Reflecting on the experience at Chez Rouge, he admitted, "It was a bit weird seeing some people come together. There was some awkwardness between Belle, Shawn, Cassie, and Rex."

"Did they share words?" Caroline asked intrigued.

"They didn't and that was the problem," Will stated. "I know Belle and Shawn have been back in Salem for a while, but Rex and Cassie didn't see them again until today apparently. I'm sure it won't turn into anything."

Lightly patting Will's arm, Caroline agreed, "I'm sure as well," before noting, "You're really glowing. I can tell you're really happy about marrying Chad."

Will allowed his smile to grow as he thought about the next day. "I cannot wait to be Chad's husband."

Making a joke somewhat, Caroline said, "I can't wait for you to give me great-great grandchildren."

Laughing almost immediately, Will replied, "Chad and I aren't rushing that." Even though Caroline was smiling, looking into her eyes caused Will to become serious. The uncertainty of life hit him as he wondered if his great-grandmother would still be alive when he and Chad decided to have children.

Caroline picked up on her great-grandson's discomfort. "It will be okay, Will. I'm just happy to be alive to see you marry the man you love." Seeing the awkwardness leave Will, she patted his hand before pulling herself up. "I need to check in with Andrew about something. I'll be back." She had an idea for Will's wedding.

Alone now, Will pulled out his phone and decided to send a text to Gabi: "Hope things are going well."

Sonny arrived soon after. "I have my things packed in my car to take back to your place," he excitedly announced.

Will came out of the booth and shared, "I have a few errands I need to run on our way back to my place." Since Safiya was housesitting and others were staying at his and Chad's place, he knew he needed to make sure he had everything covered for their stay.

"I'll do my best man duties then and help you," Sonny prided himself.

Will patted Sonny's back. "Thanks for being a great friend and best man."

Joking around, Sonny teased, "So you haven't changed your mind on my title still, right?"

"Shut up," Will playfully responded.

* * *

 _Thursday, January 21st, 2016_

* * *

While Will and Sonny were discussing Will's wedding near the nurses' station, Nathan walked by overhearing them. He excitedly patted Will on the back and said, "Let me know when you need my help."

"Thanks Nathan," Will said with gratitude. "I definitely will."

With a wink, Nathan merrily stated, "That's what best men are for."

Nathan's assumption that he would be Will's best man caused Will to suddenly feel very uncomfortable. He turned to Sonny, who had a look of discomfort on his face as well, and didn't know what to say.

Sonny quickly looked down because he thought he would be Will's best man since Chad asked Dario. He wondered how he missed the fact that Will had already asked Nathan.

Nathan picked up on the awkwardness and realized he assumed wrong. "I am so sorry," he quickly apologized. "I just thought I would be your best man since I hinted at it at my wedding because you were mine. Have you already asked someone?"

Facing his cousin once more, Will showed some regret before denying it. "I did have someone else in mind, but I do want you to be a groomsman Nathan. I hope you know…"

Patting Will's back again, Nathan showed no hard feelings. "You don't have to say it," he interjected before turning to give Sonny a wink. He figured out who Will had in mind and knew his cousin chose wisely. With his eyes back on Will, he enthusiastically said, "I would love to be one of your groomsmen, so just let me know what you need me to do. I will be there."

Will appreciatively gave Nathan a firm nod as Sonny cut in to ease the tension further. "How's your daughter?"

After smiling, Nathan affirmed, "She is great, and I am the luckiest dad ever. I should get back to work. I'll see you two around."

"For sure," Will released before Nathan walked away. When Sonny began to excuse himself as well, Will quickly grabbed his arm. "Wait," he began before sighing. "This is probably the lamest time and way to ask you, but will you be my best man?"

"Definitely," Sonny gladly accepted giving Will a hug.

Squeezing tight, Will released, "Awesome!"

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After some shopping at the square, Will and Sonny arrived back to Chad and Will's mansion and managed to bring everything inside in one trip. Sonny couldn't help but comment, "It's like old times except we are in a way bigger place."

Will chuckled. "You have your own mansion to live in."

Sonny grabbed his arm and shared, "It's weird because there is so much extra room and lots of space Dario and I don't use."

"I feel the same here," Will replied, "…but I know Chad wants to have a big family."

Sonny gave Will a nudge. "So when are you and Chad going to start on that?"

Will gave Sonny a look that told him to stop joking. "Not in the near future, but my great-grandma wishes it could be soon."

"Really?" Sonny released. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

Will laughed when the front door abruptly opened. Safiya walked in. "Hey!" he exclaimed.

Safiya was surprised to see Will there with Sonny, but she was definitely happy about it. "Sorry. I let myself in with the key you gave me. I didn't think you were here. I'm so excited about tonight!"

"Sonny and I already took care of our errands for the day and are about to have a snack," Will announced. "You can join if you want."

After Safiya accepted Will's invitation, Sonny said, "I'll see what I can spruce up in the kitchen."

Safiya began to follow Sonny while asking, "What do you two have on your agenda for the rest of the day?"

Will remained in place as he remembered something. "Sonny and I are supposed to head to his mom's restaurant because JJ is being released today."

"I can't believe I almost forgot," Sonny released with some shame. He had Victor on the brain and figured he needed to check in with his great-uncle at some point as well. "You coming Will?"

Will was about to join them in the kitchen but his phone chimed. He received a text from Gabi that read: "Things are fine, and I'm happy to celebrate with you and Chad tonight."

Will replied back immediately: "I'm glad things worked out. See you tonight!" Placing his phone in his pocket, he took a deep breath reflecting over Gabi's situation. He felt even more encouraged. "Everything works out in the end," he whispered to himself again.


	41. Jack Deveraux Junior

**Chapter 41: Jack Deveraux Junior – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **O** n the move, JJ walked down a dimly lit hallway taking in the fact that the weekend was here. After being called out of his quarters, JJ was brought into a rehab counselor's office to start the checking out process. JJ took a seat thinking about how the day had finally arrived where he would get to see his family again. He looked up to the counselor and wondered what he would say.

The counselor offered JJ a small smile. "You have done great here and have made some major improvements, but I want to be sure you're ready to leave rehab for twenty-four hours."

JJ gave the counselor a nod and stated, "I believe I am ready." Agreeing with him, the counselor began to walk through the process and rules JJ had to follow while he was on the outside. JJ looked down for a moment and wondered, deep down, if he was honestly ready to see his family again.

* * *

 _Monday, August 3rd, 2015_

* * *

Walking off the elevator with JJ, Jen wrapped her arm around his back and with excitement released, "I think this is great, but I have to admit I'm a bit confused why you don't want to do your internship with Nathan since you've always admired him so much."

Casing the area, JJ played off his decision by sharing, "Even though Brandon is a doctor like Nathan, he also does PT work, and that's something I'm definitely interested in doing as well."

Though she was happy her son was taking initiative, Jennifer still questioned, "Why is this the first time I've heard of this?"

Fortunately for JJ, Brandon walked out of the hall and greeted Jen and her son. Focusing on JJ, Brandon shared, "Your mom told me the news."

"It's true," JJ replied awkwardly raising his shoulders.

Encouragingly rubbing JJ's back, Jen commented, "It will be good for JJ to do this during his senior year to possibly help with college."

With a nod, Brandon agreed. "I'll take things from here," he told Jen before giving her a kiss.

JJ was bothered by the kiss, but he tried to be friendly with Brandon as he followed his mother's boyfriend to his office. "Thanks for agreeing to do this Brandon. It means a lot."

"Of course," Brandon said with a smile once they were in his office. He believed this could also be an opportunity for them to get to know each other better. "You can have a seat right there. I'm going to have you sit in on a PT session, but first I need to check in with my next client to make sure they are still okay with it."

After Brandon walked out, JJ stood up and walked over to Brandon's desk. He opened the middle drawer and spotted Brandon's prescription pad. "Dad, I'm doing this for you," he whispered before closing the drawer again.

When JJ moved away from Brandon's desk, Brandon reentered his office. "We've been cleared to go. The patient's name is Frank Mattias. He's in today because he's dealing with some pain in his left leg after a combat injury."

JJ didn't have to pretend to be interested as he followed Brandon into an exam room where Frank was waiting. After Brandon introduced him, JJ gave Frank a firm nod and smile.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After everything was in order, the counselor walked JJ out towards the exit. When they reached their destination, he gave JJ a nod and said, "I'll see you tomorrow. Call if you decide you need to come back early."

JJ walked through a door and was immediately greeted by his family. Jack gave him a hug first and then Abby soon after. Both exclaimed how happy they were to see him. Noting his sister's pregnancy was showing more, JJ asked, "Where's Josh?"

Abby rubbed her stomach and shared, "Josh is getting things ready for tonight." She decided early on that she didn't want to show any of the stress she was dealing with in front of her brother. "I'll have to show you the latest ultrasound of your nephew."

JJ barely responded to Abby's news, but it wasn't on purpose. He was trying to catch up to this moment and everything was just hitting him at the same time. He turned to his mother. She had the most emotional expression on her face out of everyone.

Jen tried not to cry while giving her baby boy a hug. "I'm so proud of you," she released. She was really trying not to overdo anything and kept reminding herself on the way to give JJ enough space while making sure to encourage him.

JJ continued to take deep breaths to keep himself calm.

* * *

 _Wednesday, September 16th, 2015_

* * *

A year ago, JJ and Rory were sitting on a bench in the middle of Salem Park. Attempting to hide his nerves, JJ tried to keep his cool about why he was meeting with Rory. They got to know each other when he first started at Salem High, but this was different.

"You got the pad?" Rory covertly asked JJ.

JJ answered, "Yes. I even got a picture of Brandon's signature. I've been practicing on my free time."

Getting excited, Rory said, "We are going to make bank while also ruining Brandon's image."

JJ thought about Jack's investigation and got a little worried. "Will Brandon get in big trouble?" He knew he couldn't tell Rory about this being for his dad because Rory was in on everything. He was betraying his friend to end all of this and help the public just like his dad did every day.

Leaning back on the bench thinking about everything he was going to buy, Rory replied, "Don't worry about that."

JJ's phone went off. He pulled out his phone to see he received a text from Qamar, another guy he befriended at Salem High early on. Qamar wanted to know what he was doing.

"Who is texting you?" Rory asked.

JJ replied to Qamar and told Rory who it was. "It's Q."

Rory scratched the back of his head. "Q? Is that Qamar? He's kind of a loser, right? I always thought he was kind of weird."

Standing up for his friend, JJ said, "Q is my friend and a cool guy, even if he has his quirks."

Rory remained silent for a moment because he got stuck on the fact that Qamar and quirks started with the same letter. He got out of his head eventually. Giving JJ a dumb look, he asked, "So is Qamar Black or Asian?"

JJ shook his head. "He is both. His dad is Black, and his mom is from Thailand."

"I love Thai food," Rory quickly responded as he pulled out his phone. "I need to make a call, so we can make some major bank and eat all the Thai food we want."

After Rory walked off, JJ wondered who Rory was calling. He really needed to find out more, but he knew he needed to play this right. Hearing footsteps coming towards him, JJ stood up when he saw it was not Rory. "Jade, what are you doing out here?"

Jade had a question of her own. "What were you and Rory conferring on a moment ago?"

Hoping Jade didn't hear their conversation, JJ lied, "Rory and I were talking about how our senior year is going to be crazy."

Jade groaned. "The fact that I am a year younger than you and our collective friends is absolutely rotten. I would much prefer the capability to graduate with you all." Taking a seat on the bench, she waited for JJ to do the same. "Will I be a fleeting memory when you graduate?"

"You're impossible to forget," JJ claimed feeling a bit uncomfortable with the way Jade put him on the spot like that. "I promise we'll still hang out, but for now, we still have a year together at Salem High."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Before getting a chance to settle in at the Horton house, JJ was brought to JoJo's Southern Steakhouse for a small party in one of the reserved private rooms to celebrate his short release; the family in town already wanted to visit with him. Studying the rather large room, he admired the attention to detail his aunt put into the place. There were small things that reminded him of his paternal grandmother, Jo Johnson, whom the restaurant was named after. He also knew Adrienne remodeled and rebranded The Cheatin' Heart because Sonny complained about how his heart was a cheating heart when he was super depressed a while back.

Suddenly, Adrienne, Steve, and Kayla surrounded him to tell him they were happy he was out for the wedding. JJ, in turn, tried to tell them what they wanted to hear. "I'm happy to see all of you as well."

Patting JJ on the back rather hard, Steve commented, "You're looking good, dude."

JJ stood there unsure of how to respond. Fortunately, Jennifer came over to step in. "He is looking great, isn't he?" She turned and whispered in her son's ear, "Are you okay? This isn't overwhelming you, is it?"

Wanting to assure his mother and everyone else, JJ claimed, "I promise I am fine."

Nearby, Justin checked in with Jack. "JJ is lucky he didn't get in more trouble with everything he did."

Adrienne joined them in time to hear Jack question, "I wonder who stepped in for us. I'm suspicious it is someone who wants a favor in return and will come to collect eventually." He hated his role in JJ getting into trouble and wished he had been more attentive to his son.

"You're still paranoid," Adrienne keenly called out her brother. "I really do think the letters we wrote helped persuade the judge to give JJ another chance."

"I hope you're right," Jack conceded though he still had his suspicions.

Needing some space, JJ headed to stand near the entryway contemplating getting out of there for a short while. He knew he couldn't because his family would worry over him and possibly send him back to rehab early. There was so much he did wrong to help his dad in his investigation. His parents knew the reason he got caught up in everything, but they chose to keep it to themselves to protect JJ from getting into trouble with those connected to the drug ring in Salem.

Suddenly, Jade walked in. JJ was surprised to see her.

* * *

 _Wednesday, June 8th, 2016_

* * *

Hanging out with his friends at the beach, JJ laughed at something Qamar said to him. Wanting to be in on the joke, Jade forcefully wrapped her arm around JJ's arm and said, "I enjoy a good chuckle."

JJ felt uncomfortable with the way Jade held onto him and tried to keep his focus on Qamar. She had really become clingier within the last year. "So are we still down to be roommates on campus, Q?" He hoped his issues with drugs didn't put Qamar off.

Qamar casually scratched his bare chest and said, "Of course. It's going to be so much fun."

Deciding to give the two a lecture, Rory willfully argued, "College is overrated, bros. It only puts you in debt for the rest of your lives."

Pushing Rory, Bev said, "You're an idiot, Rory."

Grabbing his arm where Bev pushed him, Rory was about to complain until he saw someone in the distance. "Whoa. Check out that total babe."

JJ and the others looked in the direction Rory was pointing. The total babe was Chloe in her bathing suit. "That's Chloe, Dr. Jonas's wife."

"I had no idea you were into cougars," Bev critically teased Rory.

As Rory nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, everyone laughed. JJ then noted there was a younger girl about his age standing next to Chloe. He couldn't help but find her really attractive. He wondered who she was in relation to Chloe because he had never seen her before.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

"Greetings…" Jade anxiously released. She heard about JJ's small get together from Qamar and figured it would be okay if she crashed the party.

JJ didn't want any tension and decided to talk to Jade. "How are you?"

Jade pulled her long hair back and tried to keep things easy as well. "I am pleasant. How are you? I should be the one asking you that question considering…" She stopped herself realizing she was bringing up something JJ most likely didn't want to talk about. "How are you?" she repeated.

"All things considered," JJ began. "…I'm okay."

Things got silent, so Jade tried to make more conversation. "I have embarked on my senior year."

JJ tried to give her a proud look, but all he could muster was a thin smile. "I had to take the first semester off for rehab," he admitted. "I'll have to start classes in the spring… hopefully…"

"Will you be residing with your mum until then?" Jade asked.

Lifting his shoulders, JJ said, "I'm not sure yet because I don't know when I'll get out."

Attempting encouragement, Jade confidently released, "Well, you are quite dashing – more so than the last time I observed you."

JJ thought back to the last time he saw Jade. "I was a mess the last time we talked."

"It's quite alright," Jade swiftly replied. She didn't particularly want to relive that moment and figured JJ didn't either.

JJ uncomfortably looked down wishing things were so different. He really did make some colossal mistakes and wished he never tried to be the hero he believed his father wanted him to be. Realizing that things got quiet again, JJ felt overwhelmed with pressure to say something else to Jade.

Fortunately, and unfortunately for him, Maggie, Will, Sonny, Safiya, and Qamar entered the restaurant. Each greeted him with a hug and offered words of encouragement. It was nice, but still too much. Trading a look with Jade, both wondered if things would always be awkward between them now.

Noting JJ seemed overcrowded, Sonny spotted his parents and led Will to talk to them so the others could catch up with JJ. "Hey mom and dad."

Adrienne was especially pleased to see Sonny made it to see JJ. "Did you have any words of encouragement for your cousin?"

"Of course," Sonny replied. When Adrienne gave him a look to say it was probably not enough, Sonny stated, "Trust me, mom. It was enough because I don't want to overwhelm him."

Adrienne backed down and Justin turned to Will. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

Will beamed as he shared, "Sonny helped me accomplish all of my tasks for the wedding today."

Giving Sonny a look of pride, Justin commented, "My son is a good man like that."

Will didn't hesitate to agree.

Sonny appreciated the compliment, but he had something else on his mind. "I talked to Brady and Hope, but they don't know anything about Victor."

With a curious and confused look, Adrienne admitted, "I'm surprised you're still on that when Victor didn't even show his support on Tuesday." Before Sonny could ask how she knew knew, she added, "I talked to Maggie about it."

Sonny was disappointed in how Victor handled all of that, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. "That's not important because Victor is my family no matter what. I know Victor and I haven't always seen eye to eye, but this is different."

Noting the seriousness in his son, Justin wondered, "What are you going to do?"

Sonny pondered over his dad's question for a moment before deciding, "I just need to talk to Victor." Turning to Will, he said, "I will take an Uber to Titan and will see you later tonight."

Somewhat thrown by Sonny's sudden decision to leave, Will asked, "Are you sure you don't want company?"

Sonny shook his head. "No. You focus on being ready for tonight's festivities."

After giving his parents a hug, Sonny began to walk off. Adrienne called out to him, but Sonny knew what she was going to say. "Don't worry… I will encourage JJ one more time on my way out." He smiled to make sure his parents knew he appreciated them.

As JJ began to walk away from Maggie, Jade, Qamar, and Safiya, Sonny caught him by carefully grabbing his arm. When his cousin jumped, he quickly apologized, "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Pointing towards the entryway, he shared, "I'm heading out, but I want you to know if you need anyone to process this experience with, I'm here."

JJ gave Sonny an appreciative grin. "Thanks, and I will definitely keep that in mind."

Sonny gave JJ a nod before leaving.

Taking a deep breath, JJ noticed his sister was resting alone at a booth. He decided to check on her because she seemed upset. After sitting across from her, he asked, "Why do you look disappointed?"

Realizing she got caught thinking about her situation with Josh, Abby attempted to play it off. "I have a resting bitch face, remember?" she claimed.

"I know," JJ stated before quickly quipping, "…but I know the difference between your resting bitch face from your _I'm going to kill a bitch_ face."

Abby released a small laugh as she continued to think about Josh. She knew she couldn't bring JJ into that because he shouldn't have to worry about them when he returned to rehab after the wedding tomorrow. "I'm just dealing with a bit of exhaustion from being pregnant," she covered.

JJ couldn't help but smile as he looked his sister over. "I promise I will be out by the time you have the baby."

Abby loved how excited JJ was about being an uncle. She patted his hand and said, "I know you will because you look great." Shifting in her seat, she showed concern as she asked, "Have you talked to Rory at all?" She always knew her brother's friend was bad news because of how he encouraged JJ to lie about certain things. She remembered when JJ told their mother he stayed the night with her and Josh the night before Billie and Frankie's wedding when he was really out with Rory.

JJ's thoughts also focused on Rory. Rory convinced him to try the prescription meds by comparing them to a feeling oh complete peace – something he eventually greatly craved. JJ told himself he needed to take them to get more information for his dad's investigation and to prove he could be trusted.

Abby noted her brother was reflecting on everything he had been through. "Are you nervous about being out?"

All of a sudden, Qamar caught them off guard when he took a seat next to JJ and gave him another hug. "I apologize for my over excitement, but I've missed you so much JJ."

JJ swiftly informed Qamar, "You don't have to apologize because the feeling is mutual. I hate that we can't be roommates at Salem U."

"It's going to happen in the spring even if I have to move dorm rooms," Qamar promised. "The honor dorms aren't really that much greater than the regular ones."

JJ smiled and replied, "I hope it all works out."

"That's what I like to hear," Qamar commented before reminding his friend, "You were always so helpful when you'd come over to my house after your family therapy sessions."

Abby watched JJ and Qamar together and smiled. She was glad JJ had a good friend in Qamar.


	42. Jackson Kiriakis, Part 2

**Chapter 42: Jackson Kiriakis, Part 2 – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 **W** alking in on Kate and Victor's private conversation, Sonny scratched the side of his head with a confused look on his face. "What is going on here? Kate is not a part of Titan."

Stepping in to rescue Victor, Kate swiftly answered, "We were discussing Philip…"

Sonny crossed his arms over his chest. "I overheard the last part of your conversation so I know it wasn't about Philip. What does my great-uncle need to take care of?"

Turning towards Victor, Kate gave him an apologetic look before saying, "I should get out of here. I have a lot to do before tonight and tomorrow. I will talk to you later Victor." She adjusted her purse and returned her focus to Sonny to remind him, "Don't forget you have things to take care of as well for tonight and tomorrow. Don't waste too much time here." She gave Sonny a small wave before leaving Victor's office.

At this point, Victor didn't care about filtering his annoyance. "What the hell are you doing here, Sonny? I don't have time for disturbances when I have business to attend to."

Coming out with it, Sonny openly mentioned, "I know there is a distance between us, and that you are shutting yourself off from the family, but I want to know about your health." He thought about how Victor collapsed earlier in the year and chose not to help his brother, Alex, with a job in the end.

Victor remained mum and sat down at his desk once again. "You wasted a trip and my time."

"So you're going to play it like this," Sonny released before pointing out, "That wasn't exactly an answer to my question."

Victor pretended to work on something to emphasize to Sonny he did not have time for this conversation. "I'm sure you can read between the lines because that's all I plan to give you. Do with it what you will."

Giving up for now, Sonny told his great-uncle, "Well, I have to leave to make sure everything is set up for Chad and Will's party tonight, but I know something is wrong. Maybe I should get the family together for an intervention for you like you did with me, Chelsea, and Philip." When Victor shifted in his seat and made a hushed unpleasant sound with his mouth, Sonny stated, "You don't have to be lonely at the top of your castle. You should let someone in."

Sonny walked out leaving Victor to shake his head and comment under his breath, "You're the one who left my castle."

* * *

 _Thursday, October 2nd, 2014_

* * *

Sonny took a deep breath before descending down the stairs at the Kiriakis mansion. He hadn't interacted much with the others since his latest release from the mental health clinic, but he had noticed some distance from Brady when they passed each other in the mansion. After walking past Melissa and Sarah, who were heading for the stairs, he found Brady sitting in the living room reading the paper. Walking to the bar, he poured himself a glass of water as he said hello.

Brady didn't respond.

Sonny turned around and took a seat close to Brady. "Hey. Are things okay between us? Did I do something wrong that I'm not aware of?"

Shifting in his seat, Brady finally acknowledged Sonny. "I know you had a tough go before you went in to get help, but all that matters is that you are better now."

Sonny watched as Brady returned to the paper. Something was definitely off in Brady's response. "I get the sense that you don't actually think that. You're repeating someone else's words."

Brady put the paper down. "Don't push this, Sonny," he strongly cautioned. "You don't need to go there."

Sonny quickly realized he was right on. He didn't like this at all. "Brady, what did I do to you?"

Since Sonny really wanted to know, Brady decided to tell him everything. "It isn't what was done to me exactly. It is what you did to Kai."

Confused, Sonny hastily asked, "What did I do to Kai?"

Clearly disappointed, Brady disapprovingly shook his head at Sonny. "Earlier, in the summer, you picked a fight with Kai because you believed Kai was stealing your family. Even after Kai told you he didn't have a family to turn to, you still ranted and raved about how Kai was destroying your life when really it was you who made those bad choices."

Feeling awful, Sonny tried to apologize. "I wasn't in my right mind… I'm sorry. I was depressed and unfortunately, I took it out on Kai. I will call Kai now and invite him over to apologize to him in person. Since I don't have one for the moment, can I borrow yours?"

Brady continued to shake his head. "That's impossible because Kai now lives in Maryland."

"Why is he in Maryland?"

Still showing frustration, Brady crossed his left arm over his firm chest while he placed his right hand on his forehead. "Because of you, Sonny. Because of your monumental mistake." Dropping his arms to his side, he continued, "When you were admitted this last time, Victor pulled some strings and sent Kai away from Salem to help you in your recovery."

In shock with this development, Sonny apologetically argued, "I never asked him to do that for me."

Getting in Sonny's face, Brady countered, "You did with how you kept pushing that Kai was trying to take your place. Kai had no one and now everything is a mess." He fell back but continued with the same intensity, "I'm surprised Chad hasn't told you about Brian and how Titan is strugg…"

Victor suddenly entered the room and raised his voice, "What the hell is going on in here? Brady, back off because Sonny has been through enough."

Annoyed, Brady frustratingly told his grandfather, "You need to stop doing this. Stop being stupid for once!" As Sonny noted how rude Brady was towards Victor, Brady angrily grabbed the paper and started to walk off. "Congrats Sonny because you got what you wanted in the end."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

At The Chill, Will and Chad wrapped up the rehearsal meeting by telling everyone to have fun at the party Dario and Sonny put together. As everyone disbursed from the spacious upstairs' office, Sonny told Dario, "I hope I remember what I'm supposed to do during the wedding."

Dario grabbed Sonny's hand as they reached the foot of the stairs. "I'm sure you'll be fine." After Lexie, EJ, Sami, Lucas, Sophie, Nathan, Safiya, Cameron, and Gabi walked by, Dario peered into the office and noted to his fiancé, "Here comes Chad and Will. Please keep them preoccupied for a bit."

Sonny nodded his head as Chad and Will came over. "Thanks guys for doing this for us tonight," Will released with a smile.

Sonny put on a happy face. "I hope you enjoy your night. We have a lot planned for you like the first photo booth of the weekend that Eric and Nicole are running."

"Our goal is to keep you on your toes and get you to continually smile. If you'll excuse me," Dario said so he could check in with Josh.

As Dario quickly walked down the tall stairs, Chad looked to the first floor of the club and said, "We should probably greet the rest of our guests."

Will took Chad's hand and joked, "Yes, because this weekend is really for our guests than it is for us." When Chad gave him an uncomfortable look, he swiftly stated, "I'm only joking of course. I am super excited about the ceremony tomorrow!"

Heading down the stairs with Chad and Will, Sonny wanted to make sure the two were entertained and didn't stress about the other things happening around them. "Don't worry about anything because we have it all covered." He reflected on everything they had been through when he spotted Brady talking to Kristen.

* * *

 _Sunday, December 28th, 2014_

* * *

For Sonny's birthday, Dario planned a small dinner with Chad and Will at his place. At the glass dining table, Sonny lovingly took Dario's hand and shared his gratitude. "Thank you for doing this for me. It's great that the four of us are doing this. We've all been through so much together, and I hope that things get less complicated from here on out." He shook his head as he remembered how he was willing to do whatever to keep Chad away from Will at one time while keeping Dario at bay.

"We should definitely toast to a less complicated life," Dario elevated his half-filled glass with his free hand.

After the short salute, Will longingly commented, "I am so done with places and ships exploding." He was also tired of his friends dying. He looked down as he thought about T.

Without realizing Will was thinking about T, Chad glanced over to Dario and joked, "Hopefully the DiMera curse is over." He was so ready for some peace and quiet – especially since he and Will were close to moving into their new home.

With hopeful pride, Dario replied, "We are taking the steps necessary to assure the curse doesn't continue." He felt great about his future especially with how things were going at Salem University.

Feeling a bit left out, Sonny arguably cut in, "The Kiriakis family doesn't have it easy either. I hope the peace between all of our families will continue even with the tensions still very high."

Dario leaned in and kissed Sonny's cheek as Chad pointed out, "Your love can help mend the fences between the DiMera and Kiriakis family like Romeo and Juliet." His corny comment was inspired by seeing them kiss.

"Bad example, Cuddles" Will teasingly informed his boyfriend.

Dario unwaveringly agreed with Will as he maintained, "No one is going to die."

As Will's thoughts returned to T, Sonny also added, "No one is going to kill themselves either."

Suddenly going to a dark place in his mind, Chad struggled and admitted, "There's one person I'd like to die."

Before Chad could reveal who he wanted to die, Will came out of his thoughts and changed the subject because he did not want to discuss Stefano. "What are we doing for dessert?"

Realizing things had become a tad dim for a birthday dinner, Dario wiped his mouth before standing up. "I ordered a cake for Sonny. Are we ready for it?"

Sonny excitedly patted Dario's arm and said, "Definitely." He couldn't wait to see it.

"I'll go grab it then so we can sing _Happy Birthday_ ," Dario joyfully announced.

As Dario walked out to get the cake, Sonny leaned into the table and encouraged Chad and Will, "We'll be okay. We have each other's backs. That's how I know."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

To check in with her sister, Belle left Shawn with her parents in search of Sami. She didn't get very far because Brady and Kristen approached her. Somewhat rattled, she released, "Brady…"

Noting he startled his sister, Brady admitted, "I waited to say hi when dad and Marlena weren't around."

"Hi," Belle released before awkwardly turning to Kristen to greet her as well. "Are you both staying to yourselves then?"

Kristen studied the crowd and shared, "It's probably best things stay that way – all things considered."

"Right," Belle agreed spotting Eric and Nicole talking to Jennifer near the photo booth setup. "Maybe you can talk to Eric and Nicole. They're not so judgmental."

A laugh escaped Brady's lips before he commented, "Nicole is not a good idea."

Kristen eyed Jennifer for a moment before turning her gaze to Rex and Cassie, who were talking to Chad and Will. Belle watched Kristen closely and showed more discomfort on her face. "I need to check in with Sami," she decided before walking away.

Ezra arrived and Kristen quickly pulled him over. "Ezra, I am so happy to see you here."

Remembering how Will and Chad helped him through almost losing his mother, Ezra was happy to know he was able to become friends with Will and Chad again. "I'm elated for Will and Chad as they take this next step in their relationship."

Brady smiled at his girlfriend's nephew. "Chad and Will have truly been through so much, and I am glad they are getting married tomorrow." Even though he was happy for his nephew, he couldn't help looking at Sonny, which Kristen noted.

Kristen decided to hold off on asking Brady about Sonny and instead asked Ezra, "Was there ever anything between you and Will? I ask because I remember what happened at the Halloween Party a couple of years back. You continued to beat yourself up about how things were with Will."

Ezra's head turned away from his aunt as he tried to forget about the night he came onto Will – the night he almost forced himself on him. "I think I should get a drink."

While Kristen caught on there was something that happened between Ezra and Will, Brady noted the discomfort. "Everything okay?"

Kristen spied John and Marlena by the bar; they were clearly keeping their eyes on her and Brady. Turning to Brady, she purposely wrapped her arms around his neck and seductively whispered, "Things are just wonderful."

Brady always enjoyed the way Kristen pulled him in. She was always a welcome distraction. Pulling her in closer, he kissed her.

Taking the place in, Cassie commented, "Sonny and Dario really did awesome with the set up for tonight." She nudged Chad as she shared, "I have a DJ friend who wants to come to Salem and play here if you're open to it."

Even though he wasn't keen on discussing business tonight, Chad let it slide for Will's aunt. "I know you wouldn't ask if the DJ wasn't good, so I am game. We can talk to Dario and Josh about it later."

Cassie was very happy to hear that.

Patting his uncle's back, Will asked Rex, "Is there anything you need to tell me?"

Rex had searched the crowd for Lexie and EJ, but he told his nephew, "I have no idea what you're talking about." He spotted Kate talking to Philip and questioned, "Are things peaceful in Salem?"

Will wondered if Rex knew something. "Why do you ask?"

While giving them some space, Sonny made sure to keep his eyes on Chad and Will as he talked to his parents. "I talked to Victor like I said I would, but I'm still not completely sure if anything is wrong. Maybe I should talk to Maggie."

Noting how Sonny kept glancing at Will and Chad, Adrienne snapped her finger in front of her youngest son's face to catch his attention. "Sonny, why are you pushing this so hard? If Victor is denying that he's ill maybe he's not ill."

"Something still doesn't feel right," Sonny maintained with some uncertainty in his voice. "First, he didn't really deny anything. Second, I interrupted a conversation between him and Kate at Titan when I first arrived. They talked about something important before I got there, and it wasn't Philip like Kate tried to tell me."

After Chelsea and Cameron took a few pictures together, they walked over to say hi to Sonny, Justin, and Adrienne. "How are things?"

Happy for the cheerful intrusion, Adrienne and Justin answered, but Sonny couldn't escape Victor. "Hey, Chelsea, do you remember how Victor warned us something was coming for the family a few years back?"

Adrienne really struggled in how this was consuming her son's life lately. His relaxed nature was nowhere to be found. "Jackson Kiriakis… don't be rude."

Chelsea could tell this was important for Sonny. "It's okay," she told Adrienne. "I remember…"

"Has Victor said anything else about it to you?"

"No," Chelsea answered Sonny. "Is there something going on?"

Sonny sighed in defeat and said, "That's what I'm trying to find out."

Attempting to lighten the mood, Justin cut in, "You two look very nice."

"Thanks," Cameron replied. "You and Adrienne look pretty snazzy yourselves."

Spotting Bo, Hope, and Ciara arrive, Sonny wondered if he should check in with them. Before he had a chance to decide, he noticed Josh and Dario approaching Chad and Will. "I have to go take care of something," he told his parents to excuse himself.

Chelsea watched Sonny as he walked away and spotted Josh. She wondered if she should talk to him for Abby.

Sonny reached the guys in time to overhear Josh apologetically telling Chad and Will, "I don't understand how this happened. The band showed up claiming they were supposed to record tonight."

"What's the name of the band?" Chad questioned trying to figure out how this could have happened.

Dario realized he and Josh didn't think this through and said the first thing that came to his mind. "They're called The Beefs."

"The Beefs?" Will asked to make sure he heard correctly. He almost laughed but stopped because this could be bad for business.

"I've never heard of them," Chad claimed.

Dario ignored Chad and Will and tried to keep their minds away from the questions he really didn't want to answer. "I tried to get rid of the guys by telling them they could get a discount the next time they walked in."

Will wasn't sure if this was going to ruin their night. "Did they seem upset?"

"Very," Dario warned. He made sure to show discomfort in his face.

Figuring he needed to deal with this himself, Chad asked, "Where are they now?" He didn't know how he missed the band walking inside in the first place.

"They're in the office upstairs," Josh shared. "I am so sorry for not being able to take care of this and making you guys do this." He gave Dario a look of uncertainty.

Will gave Josh an empathic look and said, "Don't worry because Chad and I will clear this up so we can all enjoy the rest of our evening."

Swiftly heading up the stairs, the guys found the band waiting impatiently. Will internally noted he had never seen them before. "I don't mean to be rude, but what are your names again?"

One of the band members came forward and complained, "Dude, this business, if that's what you want to call it, is way past rude because we set an appointment months ago."

Right off the bat, Chad and Will immediately noted these guys didn't plan to be compliant. The band member who spoke suddenly walked closer and got in Will's face. Chad quickly stepped in and told the guy, "Back off."

Sonny, Josh, and Dario looked at each other and almost lost it.

Trying to clear the air, Chad composed himself and calmly stated, "If this session was scheduled than it was a big mistake. How about I make it up by offering free time in the studio when we can fit you in. I own the club and studio so I can make that call."

"You are making a big mistake here," the band member warned Chad.

Another stepped forward and claimed, "We're good. Once you see our talent you're going to want to make time for us now… not tomorrow, not next month… now."

A third member of the band put his guitar down and pulled out a boom box confusing Will. "What are you guys doing? Playing us one of your tracks?" Will questioned. He traded a look with Chad wondering what they should do about these guys. He considered calling up security even if it made them look bad.

"We're going to start the music so you can see our talent."

The band members suddenly got in formation as the music began to play out of the boom box. They then introduced themselves. "We are the Beefcakes." Out of nowhere, the members of the band tore off their shirts, and it became clear to Chad and Will that this was all a set up. These guys were from Beefcakes, which was a gay strip club in Salem that Carrie complained about a while back.

Josh, Sonny, and Dario lost it and laughed at Chad and Will's faces, which showed they were shocked by this. Dario and Sonny couldn't believe they fell for this. Pushing Chad and Will closer, Sonny and Dario winked at each other before grabbing two chairs for Chad and Will to sit.

Chad and Will felt awkward but they laughed it off because they were legitimately surprised and thought they were going to have to bring up security. Will and Chad traded looks to let the other know this was okay. Both would prefer to strip for the other, but this was part of their bachelor party. They did not want to disappoint Dario, Sonny, or Josh.

* * *

 _Sunday, March 27th, 2016_

* * *

For Easter, Dario decided to have a small gathering with Sonny and Sonny's family. Though he had spent some time with them before this, he wanted to connect with Sonny's brothers better. With them in town, this was the perfect opportunity.

Sonny truly appreciated Dario for doing this because this told him he sincerely wanted to be a part of his entire world. Taking Dario's hand, Sonny led his boyfriend to his brothers so they could all catch up together. Noting that his oldest brother seemed distant, he remembered how Alex struggled with Sonny's coming out initially. He tried to distract himself by asking Joey and Vic, "How are things going in your lives?"

As Joey and Vic took turns answering with Dario responding, Sonny continued to eye Alex realizing that his distance couldn't be related to their relationship because they worked through that already. When Dario placed his hand on his lower back, Sonny was brought out of his thoughts. "Sonny is a kick ass doctor who the hospital is very lucky to have," Dario beamed.

Sonny blushed and claimed, "Dario is just being a great boyfriend, who also happens to be doing extremely well at Salem U."

Alexander suddenly walked off. Sonny excused himself to follow his brother as Joey asked Dario, "Are we having another karaoke night tonight?"

Sonny followed Alex under the stairway and into the hall. Alex quickly caught on that Sonny was concerned and quickly stated, "I simply needed air…" He patted his baby brother on the back and said, "Congrats on building a successful life."

Sonny couldn't shake that something had changed and was in the dark about something. "Are you okay, bro?"

Alex gave Sonny a look of discomfort before making sure no one else was around. "Actually, things aren't," he admitted. "I'm having some financial issues and may start working for Uncle Victor. That's why I'm in town for over a week instead of just the weekend."

Even though Sonny wanted to ask him many follow-up questions, he refrained because he wanted to keep things positive. They could talk about this later. "I'm sure our great-uncle will help you."

Adrienne and Justin came forward and encouraged him as well. "Even if he can't help you, you know we have your back," Justin said squeezing his wife's hand. They were watching Alex and Sonny and knew what they were discussing by the look on Alex's face. A part of Justin didn't want Alex working for Victor.

Bringing Dario over, Vic, who was clueless about what he interrupted, mentioned, "So your man told me that his sister has a kid. When are you two going to get married and have kids?"

Sonny and Dario looked at each other before Sonny answered, "When the time is right."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After the strip show, Dario and Josh remained in the office upstairs to tip the strippers and sneak them back out. Sonny headed down with Will and Chad so they could mingle once more with the rest of the guests. Unfortunately, in an awkward sense, Chad and Will were greeted by Lexie, Sami, and EJ. Lexie curiously questioned, "What were you doing upstairs? Did you change your mind on how the ceremony is playing out?" She wanted to make sure she had everything covered for her part.

Chad and Will both had embarrassed looks on their faces as they talked over the other. "We… We had…"

"We had some last-minute business to attend to," Chad attempted to take over.

Will added, "But we are done for the night. At least we hope."

"You two look very uncomfortable now," EJ called them out.

"It's nothing," Will swiftly replied.

When Chad and Will started to talk to Lexie, EJ, and Sami, Sonny approached Bo and Hope, who were ordering drinks from the bar. "How did your day go?"

Hope eyed Will while answering Sonny's question. "Bo and I have been working hard on finding Roman and may be closer to finding him."

Sonny shook his head thinking about how things weren't less complicated as they hoped things would be. "I know Will will be happy to hear that."

Revealing her curiosity by shifting her body, Hope wondered, "Have Chad and Will mentioned anything about Stefano to you? Maybe Dario?"

Sonny thought about how Dario told him about the DVD but figured he shouldn't tell Bo and Hope. Fortunately for him, Ciara interrupted the moment to tell her parents, "I can't find Theo anywhere. I guess he must have skipped out." Before anyone could suggest she talk to Lexie, Ciara spotted Jade by the photo booth. She needed to talk to her. "I'll check in later."

Things got awkwardly quiet all of a sudden. Remembering how Hope told him about Sonny's asking about Victor, Bo made a ticking sound with his teeth before sharing, "I broached the subject with Victor… about his health, but he didn't have anything to say really. He is definitely hiding something."

Continuing to shake his head, Sonny curiously wondered, "What could he be hiding though?" Even he was starting to realize how this was consuming his life. He needed to relax and have fun tonight instead of this – whatever this was that he was doing.

"Hopefully it's nothing too horrible," Bo stated with hope.

Thinking Bo would have better luck in finding out before him, Sonny relinquished, "Please keep me updated."

With a slight nod, Bo promised, "I will."

Hope glanced over to Will once more remembering the question they asked Sonny before Ciara interrupted. "So have you heard anything about Stefano contacting the family?"

Sonny hoped Bo and Hope forgot about Stefano. He didn't want to lie to them, but he wasn't sure what information was exactly privileged. He took a deep breath and sighed internally when Dario joined them. "Hey... Everything taken care of?"

Dario gave him a kiss on the cheek and replied, "Josh made sure they got out unnoticed."

Recognizing that Dario and Sonny were busy with their hosting duties for the party, Bo and Hope decided to move along since they had their drinks. "We'll just talk to Chad and Will about Stefano later," Bo said. "Good job on the party."

After Bo and Hope walked off, Dario told Sonny, "I'm about to play a few songs with Josh on stage. Make sure Chad and Will…"

Overhearing Dario, Chelsea and Cameron joined them and interrupted, "Did I hear correctly? You and Josh are performing?"

After Dario confirmed it, Cameron reflected on the previous times he came out to The Chill on his weekends off. "You and Josh perform really well together. What songs are you playing?"

With excitement, Dario shared, "We are playing some of the songs that we performed at the concert a few years back before we officially opened."

Thinking about Chad's concert for Will, Chelsea remembered that night well. Ignazio entered her mind and how things were between them during that time. He was really trying to keep his distance. Clearing her thoughts, she warmly commented, "That was such a romantic night for Chad and Will. Chad laid it all out there for Will."

"It was," Dario agreed feeling a bit antsy. He wanted this go perfectly. "I should head back to make sure everything is set."

After Dario headed back, Sonny turned to Chelsea and Cameron. "I think it's really cute that he still gets butterflies about performing. You two look very nice. I like how you match."

Leaning into Cameron somewhat, Chelsea declared, "Cameron is an impressive shopper."

Sonny showed great interest as he asked, "So does this mean you two are dating now?"

Trying not to blush, Cameron eyed Chelsea as he replied, "We are taking things slow, but I hope it's just the beginning."

Chelsea smiled and admitted, "I hope so, too." She was genuinely happy to be with Cameron, but Ignazio's visit earlier played in the back of her mind.

Cameron looked around the room at the big crowd that had gathered. He tried to convince Theo to come inside, but it looked like his nephew decided not to. "So is anyone else coming?"

"I think everyone is here at this point," Sonny responded as he looked the place over as well. "I hope everyone is having a good time."

Dario and Josh took the stage and began to play an acoustic stripped-down version of _Arms_ by Christina Peri. Chad and Will immediately reacted by holding each other close. The others in the crowd began to encourage them to dance, so they gave in. Chad looked deep into Will's eyes and said, "I can't believe how happy I feel right now."

Will agreed and reminisced, "Things just keep getting better."

Everyone in the crowd was so mesmerized by Chad and Will dancing. Dario performed on stage and took in the smiles Chad and Will had on their faces. He knew they had a great time tonight. He and Sonny managed to pull it off. Seeing the door suddenly open, he noticed a figure enter The Chill. No one else seemed to notice. As the person came closer, Dario couldn't help himself; he stopped playing.

Chad and Will stopped dancing as everyone wondered why Dario quit playing his guitar. Sonny watched Dario closely hoping he was okay, but then noticed Dario was staring behind all of them. Turning around, Sonny stepped back. He was in complete shock as everyone else turned around as well to see Ignazio had arrived to the party uninvited.


	43. Dario DiMera, Part 2

**Chapter 43: Dario DiMera, Part 2 – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

"Ignazio?"

As Dario continued to stand on stage in shock of seeing his brother alive again after all of these years, EJ and Chad led the crowd of guests to confront Ignazio. "Did Stefano send you?" EJ asked wondering if this was the surprise Stefano hinted at in his video message to Chad and Will.

Even though he expected a crowd, Ignazio still felt overwhelmed by all the eyes on him. "Stefano did not send me. I came on my own accord to congratulate Will and Chad on their upcoming nuptials. They have always been supportive towards me so I want to return the favor."

"That's bullshit," Chad stepped forward. Despite the fact that they had a peaceful moment the last time they saw each other, he was now aware of everything Dario's brother pulled the last time he was in Salem. He did not have the patience to give him the benefit of the doubt – especially if Stefano was connected in anyway. "I know you, Ignazio, and you have been dead set against all homosexual relationships."

Keeping her distance, Chelsea tried her best to not get lost in her ex's now blue eyes. She could not believe he actually came to the party and realized he must have looked the event up after she mentioned Chad and Will's wedding. As Cameron noted she did not seem surprised by Ignazio's presence, she continued to watch her ex as he tried to convince the others he was not a threat.

"I came to Salem to make amends for how I treated all of you," Ignazio emphatically claimed as he continued to study those surrounding him. He saw the ghosts from his past ready to burn him for his crimes.

Sami stood next to EJ's side as she shouted, "You deserve to go to prison!"

Sonny wasn't happy to see Ignazio either and felt a rage come over him. "You almost destroyed Dario's life!"

As he held Chad's hand, Will shook his head and shared, "You tried to kill me and push Chad towards alcoholism."

The attacks kept coming from almost everyone in the crowd. Ignazio could only step back and try to take it all in. Looking towards the lit-up stage, he made eye contact with Dario.

* * *

 _Sunday, September 29th, 2013_

* * *

Dario stood in the DiMera garden looking at the now vacant guesthouse. He wasn't sure he wanted to go inside the guesthouse after everything that happened in Italy. All those secrets were exposed. Everything had changed. Remembering his conversation with Chelsea on their way back to Salem, he couldn't believe what she told him Ignazio had confessed to. He shook his head and wondered how he missed so much. It was all in front of him. Pulling out the letter Chad handed to him outside of the castle, he questioned if he even wanted to read what Ignazio wrote.

Before he could officially decide, Dario received a text message from Sonny that read: "Even though everything checked out with my arm, my parents won't let me out of their sight. I will try to make my escape later. Do you want me to text you when I am on my way home since Chad and Will are most likely taking advantage of the alone time they have?"

Dario eyed the guesthouse again. He knew he did not want to go in and couldn't stay there because of what happened. He responded to Sonny: "Yeah. Text me when you're heading home." After Sonny confirmed he would, Dario put his phone away and allowed his thoughts to return to Ignazio. He told himself he needed to read the letter because even though Maddalena turned out to be evil, he did promise her he would take care and love Ignazio no matter what.

Dario opened the letter and began to read it aloud. "' _Fratello Dario, this is the last you will hear from me. Do not search for me because you will not like what you will find if you do. I know I told you I would never leave you alone, but I have realized recently the negative impact I have on those around me. I despise how I must break my promise to you, but I will keep another and more important promise to you instead, Dario. I do not believe in God, but I still remember Father Felix's words on how we should help those around us grow and become better people. I promised I would protect you from everything, and I have realized I must protect you from me. I am aware I put you into a depression once again when I turned you against Chad and what you wanted from life. I truly ruined your life, and I know you realized this when we had our big argument in the guesthouse the night before the dress rehearsal for Chad's concert. I attempted to lift you back up the next day, but I was horrible at this, and though you had an amazing performance at the real concert, I know it was due to you walking away from me_.'"

The letter continued, "' _I am a monster. I realize now how good I had it when I first arrived to Salem. People were so welcoming, and I did some things I wish I never did. I nearly killed Will. I almost destroyed Chad's life, and I almost did the same to you, fratello. I blindly believed I was improving your life. I believed I was helping you feel happier, but instead I took your happiness away by pushing my own fears onto you. I forced what I wanted for you and did not allow myself to see what you actually wanted and needed. André, our father, was a monster, but it wasn't because he had a male lover. He was a monster because he destroyed lives and killed people just like me. Chelsea told me I did have a heart and would find a way to help you, and maybe in some way, she is correct. I have found a way to help you, Dario, and that is taking myself out of the equation. I love you, and I wish we had known each other longer. Things could have been different. I must pay for my sins and crimes. I know you have a big heart, but please don't be sad for me because I will hold onto our last memory together. I saw you and Sonny happy in the hotel room. Don't ever let Sonny go_.'"

Tears fell from Dario's face as he closed Ignazio's letter. He remembered the night Ignazio came up on him and Sonny in their hotel room in Urbino. Ignazio was so broken and asked Dario to pray for him. He should have gone after him then. Maybe he could have saved him. Dario wished he could have saved his brother.

As he continued to mourn Ignazio, Dario looked up to the guesthouse and remembered the first time they talked at the Kiriakis cabin in Colorado. They had an immediate connection. But now it was too late. Ignazio was most likely dead.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

On stage, Dario continued to try to play catch up in his mind as the others continued to grill his brother. Ignazio took another step back and tried to speak over everyone. "Maybe I should not have come because the last thing I wanted was to ruin the evening." He turned to Chelsea, who wanted to stay out of all of this, and wondered what she was thinking.

EJ managed to get everyone to settle down so he could get the truth from his second-cousin. "If my father did not send you, did Maddalena?"

Ignazio remained patient and answered, "Again, I tell you I came on my own. I really want to make peace."

Dario finally jumped off the big stage and decided to take control of the situation. Turning to Chad and Will, he lightheartedly directed, "You two should be having fun. Everyone here should be having fun. I'll talk to Ignazio outside and make sure he doesn't come back in."

Worried, Sonny approached Dario. "I will go with you."

Dario kept Sonny at a distance. "No. I'll be fine."

Wanting to keep Dario away from Ignazio, Sonny nervously mentioned, "What about the set with Josh?"

Melanie and Safiya stepped forward. "We can join Josh."

Dario caressed Sonny's arm and reiterated, "I'll be fine." He turned to Ignazio and motioned for him to follow him outside. Ignazio didn't put up a fight because this is what he hoped for and followed his brother.

* * *

 _Friday, November 29th, 2013_

* * *

At Manny and Arianna's condo, Dario and Gabi were playing with Carter on the yellow-beige sofa while Manny and Arianna watched them for a moment from another room. Dario's siblings decided to celebrate his birthday the day after since Sonny did something for him on his actual birthday. They invited Sonny, but Sonny didn't feel comfortable going since he forgot to invite them to his Thanksgiving dinner. Sonny's official reason for not coming was that he had a family event to attend though.

Deciding to join them, Arianna announced, "Dinner will be ready soon." After she motioned her older brother to follow suit, she and Manny took a seat. She asked, "Dario, how are you doing?"

Wondering why he was getting singled out, Dario answered, "I'm fine."

"How are you dealing with all the changes in your life?" Manny continued the grilling or at least that was what it seemed like to Dario.

Dario tried to remain calm by keeping his focus on Carter, but he still was not in the mood to talk about this. "We're all going through changes," he deflected trying his hardest not to be angry with his siblings for not coming to Sonny's yesterday evening. He felt a little unnerved still due to the stress from the night before. He could tell how out of it Sonny was, and it was tiring trying to assure Sonny that he was having a good birthday.

When Dario turned to her, Gabi quickly stopped him from saying anything. "Don't. You don't have to say the obvious about me."

Dario gave his sister a nod before turning to Manny and Arianna. "You just found out that Ernesto Toscano is your father."

Somewhat defensive, Arianna argued, "We're facing that though. Marco told me he would help us look into our Toscano connection. Mama's letter to Gabi has already helped us find a few leads."

Deeply sighing, Dario felt he couldn't win with his older siblings. "Not all the changes in my life are bad," he pointed out. "I'm going to school next semester."

Cutting Dario some slack, Manny agreed. "You and Sonny reconnecting is definitely another good thing."

"It's the best," Dario argued. "…but all three of you weren't there to support my relationship with Sonny yesterday."

Manny quickly shut down Dario's attempt to deflect once more. "You know that all three of us support your relationship with Sonny, so there's no point in trying to make that into something."

"What about Ignazio?" Arianna questioned almost immediately. She wanted to make sure Dario remained focused on what they needed to discuss. "You lost a brother as well as a grandmother whom you built deep relationships with. We are worried and want to know if this has been as hard as it sounds."

Dario exhaled realizing there was no escaping this. "It's been hard," he admitted, "…but I am adjusting to the changes. I've stayed at Sonny's because I don't like going to the DiMera guesthouse, and with Maddalena's mansion being demolished, I don't have to worry about that anymore."

Manny gave his brother a look to show he truly cared about him. "Are you blaming yourself for what happened to Ignazio and Maddalena?"

"No," Dario swiftly replied before explaining, "They made their choices. I am focused on who I have now."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Inside The Chill, Bo and Hope approached Chad and Will; they didn't want to dance at this point because they were worried about Dario. Clearing his throat, Bo got their attention and said, "Are you two aware of any connection between Roman and Stefano?"

Will remembered wondering if Stefano would deliver Roman as the final wedding gift. "Chad and I don't know anything," he answered.

To confirm Will's response, Chad shared, "There is so much we don't know at this point and it's frustrating."

"What have you uncovered?" Will questioned remembering what Marlena told him earlier.

Hope eyed Kristen and Brady. She recalled the conversation she and Bo had with Peter and his sister. "We know Roman was looking for Stefano. Alessandro DiMera was the one keeping tabs on Roman."

Bo turned his focus on Chad. "Have you seen Alessandro at all?"

"I have not," Chad answered. He looked to EJ and wondered if he knew anything.

Watching Safiya, Josh, and Melanie perform, Gabi tried to make sense of what Ignazio's reappearance meant. She was so worried what this would do to her brother. Why couldn't things just go for them once? Why couldn't people just stay dead and gone?

"Hey Gabi." Shawn-Douglas decided to check in with her since she was standing alone. "I talked to Justin about what happened today, and I promise I will help you so that nothing happens to Carter."

Gabi was really trying to stay positive and avoid any conversation about the meeting with T's parents. She was even avoiding Andrew. "Thanks Shawn. I am trying so hard to think positively."

Knowing his words could never be enough, Shawn stated, "We all have connections, but we will make sure the right thing is done for you and Carter."

Meanwhile, Ignazio started the conversation outside since Dario seemed unsure of what to say. "Dario, I'm not a problem. I will not be a problem."

Dario kept his focus on the ground. "Ig… It's too late. You already made a big mess by showing up tonight." Looking up now, he continued, "I want to know how you knew about Chad and Will's party and wedding."

"I cannot tell you."

"Why not?" Dario showed great impatience on his face, and it only got worse when Ignazio stayed quiet. Overcome with frustration, Dario questioned, "Is this how it's going to go? You not giving me any answers to the thousands of questions running through my mind right now?"

Ignazio looked down trying to take in this moment. He imagined it for so long. "I don't want it to be this way," he shared.

Reading between the lines, Dario hypothesized, "That means someone did send you to Salem." This was such a whirlwind for him because he wanted to protect himself and those close to him, but he kept remembering how he promised Maddalena he would be there for his brother and love him unconditionally.

Ignazio rubbed the top of his head and said, "You don't understand. I did come on my own, and I am trying to avoid causing any problems." He did not want to out Chelsea because it was clear she hadn't told anyone about seeing him earlier as he asked.

"That is impossible," Dario reminded his brother. Digressing after taking a few breaths, he asked another question. "Can you tell me anything?"

Ignazio looked up. "Of course."

"When you and Alessandro worked together to get Chad drunk, was it for me?" Dario questioned. "Was it to keep me from accepting myself?" Memories were flooding Dario's mind. He felt like he could go crazy if he found out he was the reason for anyone's suffering.

In shame, Ignazio honestly confessed, "It was my hope, but I also did it to take Chad down because it was an assigned mission from nonna when we first came to Salem."

With the confirmation, Dario shook his head. "This is all so messed up. Did nonna assign you and Alessandro to me?"

Ignazio denied it. "You were never a job, Dario. Alessandro and I were watching out for our brother because we wanted to protect you from what we believed to be André's downfall. Maddalena really twisted our minds."

"So does this all land on Maddalena then?" Dario crossed his arms showing his question was more rhetorical. "You have been gone for years making me believe that you were dead. You told me not to look for you in your letter!"

Ignazio tried to grab Dario because he could see how bad he hurt him, but Dario kept his distance. "I apologize for everything I did. I take responsibility for pushing you and for what I did to Chad and Will. I am still trying to be a different man than who I was."

Maintaining his distance, Dario shared, "You will have to do a lot to even give off the hint that you are different. You can't fix things in one night."

Ignazio replied, "I never expected I could change things in one night. I am well aware of my limitations because I…" He stopped to collect himself to simply say, "I'm not going anywhere."

Realizing he wasn't really up to having this exchange, Dario announced, "I need to go back inside. I'm done with this conversation for now."

"I pray we can talk another day," Ignazio swiftly said hoping to plant a seed.

Dario turned to head back inside but stopped. _Pray_. That word just really stuck out to him, but he stuck to his decision to end this conversation. "Leave the premises and don't show up at the wedding."

* * *

 _Sunday, June 15th, 2014_

* * *

Arriving to check in with his sister, Dario was surprised when he saw Chelsea there. It had been a while since they interacted because life had been busy for the both of them. "How are you doing Chelsea?"

Chelsea smiled when she saw Dario. "I'm fine. I just finished my last week at the hospital to move onto private practice. I haven't seen you since I came back from Paris to visit my mom. How are you?"

Dario thought about the issues he had with Sonny. "I'm hoping things will get better soon," he shared. "How was your trip to Paris?"

Chelsea remembered everything that happened, including Maddalena kidnapping her and asking about Ignazio. Even though she chose to keep Victor in the dark, she realized she needed to tell Dario all about it. "It was interesting. Something happened that I think you should know about."

Dario was curious at first but realized it related to his family by the look on Chelsea's face. "If it has anything to do with Maddalena and Ignazio, I don't want to know about it. My focus needs to be on Sonny. He's all that matters to me now."

Since Dario seemed rather adamant she not tell him, Chelsea chose to respect his wishes. She was curious about something else though. "I heard you went to Cancun with Sonny. How did that go?"

Dario looked down as he tried to figure out what to say. "Sonny… Cancun was Cancun really."

Showing genuine concern, Chelsea questioned, "Is Sonny still having issues?"

Dario didn't want to delve deeper into this conversation so he said, "I'm going to help Sonny through this. No matter what."

Chelsea reflected over her own issues with Ignazio. "Some friendly advice… Take care of yourself so you can be there for Sonny."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

As soon as he entered The Chill, Dario was immediately surrounded by Chad, Will, Sonny, and Gabi. Gabi managed to get in a few words first. "Are you okay, hermano?"

"I am fine," Dario unflinchingly claimed.

Shaking his head, Chad admitted, "I don't know what to make of Ignazio's reappearance. With Stefano reaching out, the timing just seems too coincidental."

Dario honestly didn't want to talk about this. He was still in a bit of shock from seeing his brother alive. "We've already wasted enough time on Ignazio. I just want the party to continue."

Will wanted to return to the peace he felt before when he was dancing with Chad. "Dario is right. We can't let anything ruin this weekend." Taking Chad's hand, he asked, "Do you want to dance again?"

Chad smiled at Will; looking into his eyes made him feel at peace. "Definitely."

After Chad and Will headed back to the dance floor, Gabi gave Dario a hug and said, "If you need me, I'm here for you."

Dario showed her appreciation. "Thanks, Gabi."

Grabbing her keys out of her purse, Gabi announced, "I already told Will and Chad I'm heading out to meet Manny to get Carter. I will see you tomorrow." She missed her son so much.

Now alone with his fiancé, Sonny watched Dario knowing he was only putting up a front. "Ignazio is not going to worm his way back into your life. I will make sure of it."

Dario tried to ignore what Sonny said. He didn't want to add to the conflicting thoughts already running through his mind. "Do you want to dance?"

When Dario put out his hand, Sonny gladly accepted. He knew Dario could use some fun in his life right now. They both could.

Dancing with Chad in the middle as Melanie, Safiya, and Josh performed on stage, Will rested his head on Chad's shoulder. He tried to enjoy this moment after what happened with Ignazio. "That was crazy," he released unable to clear his thoughts.

When Will lifted his head to look into his eyes, Chad showed he couldn't escape it either. "I hope that the _interruption_ isn't a sign of things to come."

Glancing to the side to see Dario and Sonny had joined them on the dance floor, Will added, "I hope Dario will be okay."

"Me, too," Chad released before kissing the side of Will's head to catch his attention. Hoping to put his mind at ease, Chad announced, "I've made a decision that will greatly impact our future."

Will gave Chad his full attention as they stopped dancing. He wondered what decision Chad had made. "Our future… I hope it's good news."

"I think it will make you happy," Chad whispered through a grin. After clearing his throat, he declared, "I've decided to take your last name. Tomorrow, I will officially be Chad Horton."

Will was completely surprised by Chad's news. "Really?" he questioned to make sure he heard correctly. After Chad nodded, Will could see this was something he really wanted to do. "You were right. I am happy."

Overhearing Chad's announcement, Dario held Sonny close as they danced. He thought about how he took on the DiMera name to feel closer to his newfound family. A part of him wondered if it was a mistake.


	44. We Could Be Planning the Next Step

**Chapter 44: We Could Be Planning the Next Step – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

"I think Chelsea's silence tonight was due to the shock of seeing Ignazio again," Hope shared with concern. "I think someone should check in with her to make sure she's okay."

Outside of the Chill, Ciara stood near her parents, brother, and Belle. Even though she wasn't participating in their conversation, she knew they were talking about Ignazio's return and how it impacted many people. She was worried for her sister and wondered if this would complicate things for her. At the same time, she knew Chelsea could get through anything.

Looking towards the parking lot, Ciara noticed something. Touching her mother's arm, she said, "I'll be right back."

Ciara walked through the parking lot and found Theo sitting in his mother's car with the window down. She breathed deeply as she reflected over her interaction with Celeste; she still felt shaken and guilty from how things played out. Slightly tapping on the door, she asked, "Carver, have you been here the entire time?"

Theo decided not to hide the truth. "Yeah…"

"Why?" Ciara asked noting Theo wouldn't even look at her. "I've been searching for you all night and even sent you a text a few times. You didn't answer! We could have had fun tonight." Looking down from guilt, she complained, "Instead, I talked to Jade who admitted to me that she doesn't have very many friends because most of her friends graduated the year before."

With a sigh, Theo looked down. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to be alone. Did you see my mom in there?"

Ciara realized she never asked Lexie about Theo. "Your mom is still inside talking to Chad and Will." Thinking about how she wasn't able to check in with him at his house, Ciara followed up with, "So is everything in the clear?"

Theo finally turned to face Ciara. "I'm going to be okay."

Pulling out Abe's watch from her purse, Ciara put it in front of Theo's face. "You should take this back." She wanted to avoid more nightmares.

Theo eyed his father's watch for a moment before taking it with the sleeve of his shirt. He put it in his pocket immediately, so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore.

"Are you going to hide out during the wedding tomorrow, too?" Ciara questioned hoping Theo wouldn't be weird all weekend.

Theo quickly denied it. "I know I couldn't do that to Chad."

"Ciara!" Bo and Hope were calling out to their daughter.

Realizing her parents were ready to head out, Ciara asked Theo, "Do you want to talk on the phone tonight?" She began to realize she needed to tell him about her conversation with Celeste.

Theo shrugged his shoulders at first, but then shared, "I'll probably go to sleep early tonight."

Still worried about her friend, Ciara wondered, "What's your next move? What are you going to do about your visions?"

Bo and Hope continued to call out to Ciara, so Theo knew she would have to leave soon. He didn't want to delve into this discussion and figured he knew what to say to appease Ciara's curiosity. "When I have time, I will find another bracelet. It worked before, so it has to work again."

Hearing the frustration in her parents' voices at this point, Ciara knew she had to go. She placed her hand on Theo's shoulder and said, "I'm happy you're going to be okay," before heading off.

Meanwhile, Belle and Shawn were heading to their car when they realized they parked next to Rex and Cassie. Shawn gave his wife a look before deciding to reach out to them. "It's about time we break the ice," he commented. He had already checked in with the sitter about Claire.

"It is time," Rex agreed as he nudged his twin sister forward.

Belle moved her blonde hair from her face and asked, "How long are you two in town?"

Cassie looked to her brother and noted he wanted her to say something now. Begrudgingly, Cassie shared, "We are heading back to Chicago Sunday afternoon."

Shawn gave them a nod as he said, "I think it's great you came for the wedding."

Showing that she took some offense to what Shawn said, Cassie replied, "Will is really important to us, and we've grown fond of Chad as well… even if he is a DiMera."

Belle thought about how she was also a DiMera but chose not to comment on it. "Will is important to Shawn and me as well." Turning to Rex, she asked, "Have you talked to Mimi recently?"

Talk about a blast from the past. Rex managed not to let Belle's question throw him off too much. "I haven't talked to Mimi in a while."

Raising her voice a bit, Cassie urgently commented, "It's better if it stays that way, too."

Rex eyed his sister to communicate that she needed to settle down. Returning his attention to Shawn and Belle, he asked, "Have you talked to her?"

Belle turned to Shawn as she shared, "I talked to Mimi about a week ago. She mentioned going through Chicago for a visit."

"Hopefully, it is this weekend and we'll miss her," Cassie swiftly quipped.

Running his hand through his hair, Shawn replied, "I'm not sure if she has already been." He looked at the time realizing they needed to relieve the sitter watching Claire. "Would you two be interested in getting brunch on Sunday?"

Before Cassie could say no, Rex hastily answered, "We would love to."

Belle took Shawn's hand and said, "It will be great to catch up with you more."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Renée was packing some of her things when Marco came in to ask, "Are we really heading out-of-town again?" He did not understand the quick turnaround from his mother and knew it had to be something big. The only problem was she didn't want to tell him what brought on her change of mind.

Renée thought about Stefano's warning after she first revealed herself to Tony. She knew she needed to protect her son. "I need to take care of one last thing before we come forward to tell everyone who we really are."

"I'll go pack then," Marco sighed with some frustration. Once he was in his room, his phone began to ring. Glancing at the screen, he smiled but then stopped because he knew why she was calling. "Hey Arianna…"

"Is it true?" Arianna asked right off the bat. "I got your text."

Reluctantly, Marco confirmed it. "My mother and I are leaving Salem once more."

"For how long?"

"I'm not sure," Marco admitted.

"Why?"

Marco hated this so much. "My mother is worried about something, but I'm not exactly sure. I promise I will contact you when we arrive to our destination."

A sigh sounded from the phone. "I hate that you're leaving again," Arianna complained.

Marco wished he could spend more time with Arianna before he left again. "I promise this will be over soon, but I want to make sure my mother is safe."

"I love you," Arianna earnestly released. "Please be safe."

"I love you, too." Marco ended the call and sighed once more. Things were supposed to be finally out in the open, but now they had to take another detour. He hoped Arianna could keep what he told her earlier in the park in confidence.

After putting his phone away, something told Marco that someone was watching him. He glanced out the window to find his intuition was correct. EJ stood outside in the street; he was waiting for him.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Pacing the front room of her apartment, Celeste cradled her phone for a moment longer before placing it onto her coffee table. "I need to find a way to convince Theodore to accept his gift and talk to some of my colleagues with me so he can better control himself when his gift presents itself." She took a seat on the couch and pulled out her tarot cards; there was so much uncertainty in the air.

Celeste recalled how she pulled the _Death_ card at the hospital earlier before Maxine interrupted her. She wondered if it meant there was a change coming or if actual death was coming to Salem. Remembering her run in with Ciara, she reflected over what Theo's friend shared. Stefano could play a role in the change or death coming their way.

"I hate all of this uncertainty and darkness," Celeste bemoaned as she laid out her tarot cards. Taking the first card, she flipped it over to reveal the _Death_ card once again. "I must continue…" The next card she turned around was the _Emperor_ card. "This could be Stefano. Maybe I was correct in my assumption."

With her heart beating, Celeste turned over the next card. It revealed the _Magician_ card. Confusion only increased exponentially within her. "What does this mean? Will we be conned once again or will someone reveal the cards before it is too late?" Celeste wrapped herself with her shawl and hated that she still did not have the answers she craved.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

After arriving home, Josh had a smile on his face as he told his wife, "That was fun." He rubbed her stomach and asked, "Did you have a good time?"

Abby always adored the way Josh doted on her and the baby in her stomach and for a moment forgot about their issues. "I did. I enjoyed watching you perform especially. It's a good thing Safiya and Melanie could help out." When Josh kissed her, she couldn't help but remember what Chelsea told her earlier. "Josh, I wish you would tell me what's wrong."

Confusion covered Josh's face. "Nothing is wrong, Abby."

Not allowing Josh to escape this, Abby pointed out, "You haven't even asked how JJ is. You never showed up at my aunt's restaurant either."

"I'm sorry," Josh quickly released. "How is JJ doing?"

Abby went over to take a seat because her feet were sore. "JJ decided not to go to the party tonight, and I'm worried he may relapse while he's out."

Surprised that his wife believed JJ would relapse when it was only a twenty-four-hour release, Josh joined Abby and sat down as well. "Are your mom and dad keeping an eye on him?"

Wondering if Josh even realized Jen was at the party, Abby shared, "Dad stayed with JJ tonight at the house."

Standing up, Josh began to head to their bedroom. "Are you ready to sleep?"

Abby stopped Josh from going further by informing him, "Our conversation isn't over. I still know something is wrong because you have been distant."

Josh turned around and claimed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Frustrated she had to spell it out for him, Abby said, "There's the phone calls and texts you've received at all times of the day and night. Just today, I overheard you having a really heated conversation with someone."

Josh gave his wife a nervous look and thought about the call. After a moment, he explained, "What you overheard today had to do with the strippers I got for Chad and Will's party tonight."

Abby gave Josh a look as if to ask if he thought she was dumb. "What are you talking about? I didn't see any strippers at the party tonight. What kind were supposedly there?"

Noting how much Abby was pushing this, Josh was smart enough not to comment on that. "We went to the office upstairs under the guise that a band was there to record and surprised Chad and Will. The strippers were from Beefcakes. The manager was giving me a hard time earlier this morning because she wanted her strippers back in time for her customers tonight. She also wanted to raise the price."

Remembering when Josh and the others disappeared for a moment during the party, Abby sighed and apologized. "I'm sorry for losing my cool. I'm just stressed." She looked away from her husband and began to wonder if this was just all in her head.

Josh returned to her side and wrapped his arm around her. "It's okay." Giving her a hug and kiss, he asked, "Do you want a foot massage?"

Abby still felt bad for going off on Josh. "Thank you for being such a great husband."

As Abby gave him another hug, Josh looked on wondering if he made the right decision.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Chelsea let her hair down in the living room when Safiya walked into their apartment. "You're already here?" Safiya questioned her roommate. "Is Cameron here?"

Chelsea continued to shake out her hair. "I told Cameron I was tired, and he didn't push it," she explained as she thought about Ignazio and how he decided to show up to the party tonight.

Safiya put her purse on the table and moved closer to Chelsea. "Did something else happen because you don't look very tired?"

"Well does Ignazio count?" Chelsea asked not really expecting an answer.

Safiya's eyes widened as she dramatically commented, "I remember the tension that filled the room when he walked in." She was definitely learning a lot more about Chad's family this week. "It was crazy how everyone became very protective and guarded."

Chelsea remembered the moment as well. "Ignazio and I used to be an item."

Safiya's eyes got bigger at the tidbit of information. "Why didn't you confront him with the others then?"

Reflecting on the fact that she saw Ignazio earlier in the apartment, Chelsea decided not to share that with Safiya. "It would have been awkward if I talked to Ignazio in front of Cameron."

"Do you still have unresolved feelings for Ignazio?"

Chelsea didn't waste time refuting it. "No, but I may have unfinished business because of how things ended between us." She explained, "The last time I saw Ignazio before today was in Italy after that castle exploded. He just disappeared, and I thought he was dead."

Seeing how this was a big deal to Chelsea, Safiya noted, "That's a lot of unfinished business, but I do wonder if maybe buried deep inside there are some unresolved feelings. Ignazio is quite attractive." When Chelsea remained quiet, Safiya realized something. "Who cares if he's cute when he didn't even try to apologize to you – let alone try to talk to you."

Chelsea realized Ignazio never tried to apologize to her earlier. He was so focused on finding Chad and Will. "He did not."

"So what are you going to do?"

Chelsea knew what her answer had to be. "I'm going to keep my distance. If Ignazio wants to talk to me, then he can try. I have moved on with my life."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Entering the kitchen of his condo, Manny noted Arianna was fervently washing the dishes by hand. "What happened?"

Arianna continued to wash the dishes to distract herself. "It's nothing. Where were you tonight?"

Manny knew something was wrong with his sister and wished she would tell him. "I decided to buy a wedding gift for Chad and Will before meeting Gabi. I told Lexie I would go. Are you?"

Rinsing her hands, Arianna replied, "I am, but I am going solo now because Marco is heading out of town."

Everything made sense to Manny now. Arianna was upset that Marco was leaving again, but before he could say anything there was a knock on the door. "I'll get that."

Arianna decided to continue washing dishes as Manny headed for the door. She thought about Marco and their short date earlier that day. She wondered what exactly changed and when she would see him again.

Arianna came out of her thoughts when she heard Manny ask whoever was at the door, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Quickly drying her hands, Arianna headed towards the door in time to see Ignazio walking into their condo. "Manuel, what do you think you're doing letting him come in our home?" She didn't give her brother time to answer though because she went in to attack Ignazio verbally. "Does Dario know you are still alive and back in Salem?"

"He does," Ignazio calmly answered. "I already talked to Dario, but that is not the reason I am here."

"Why are you here?" Arianna demanded to know. She contemplated taking him down to the police station.

Ignazio remained relaxed and explained, "I just told Manny I came because Gustavo sent me to check in with you. Is Gabi around? She saw me tonight as well."

As Arianna tried to wrap her head around the fact that Ignazio and Gustavo were in cahoots, Manny shared, "Gabi doesn't live here."

Coming out of her thoughts, Arianna questioned, "Why did Gustavo send you here – to us?"

Ignazio replied, "Gustavo told me to tell you he will be coming to Salem soon. He's ready to bring you into the family fold."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

After arriving home, Ciara decided to head upstairs to attempt sleep. Bo admitted to Hope, "I'm still worried about Ciara because she seems more on edge than normal."

Hope shared in Bo's concern. "I talked to Lexie tonight and got word that Theo is in the clear. There are some things they apparently need to talk through, but Lexie believes Theo will be okay once they work those things out."

Scratching his cheek with his pinky, Bo wondered, "Should I be worried about Theo and Ciara's relationship?"

Hope poked Bo to tease him before assuring, "You shouldn't because Theo is a good kid and has always been a good friend to Ciara."

Good friends. Bo hoped things remained that way until Ciara was out of college. Stretching his arms out, he asked, "Are you ready for bed, Fancy Face?"

Pulling out her phone, Hope said, "I will be soon, but I need to check in with a few family members about tomorrow."

While Hope began to make some calls, Bo took a seat on the couch and decided to check in with Kimberly to see if they made it to the pub tonight. Before he could push the call button, he received a text message from Roman. He quickly opened it to see what it said. The text message read: "Justice will be served soon."

Bo looked to Hope, who was on the phone with Julie, and wondered what his brother's message meant.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Walking into Julian's bedroom at the DiMera mansion, Sami smiled when she saw EJ sitting at the edge of their youngest son's bed. She then noted that Julian's eyes were wide open. "Hmmm…"

EJ turned to Sami and shared, "Julian doesn't want to sleep."

"Did you read him the story?" After EJ nodded his head, Sami moved closer and said, "Let me take a crack at it." Taking a seat on her son's bed, she told him, "You need to go to sleep, son."

"Story," Julian told his mother.

Sami grabbed his book and began to read _Little Red Riding Hood_.

Meanwhile, in her bedroom, Jade called JJ and smiled when he answered. "I yearned to see you tonight."

JJ wasn't sure if he made the right decision in answering Jade's call, but it was too late at this point. "I spent time with my dad. I figured it would be best if I stayed away from a party at a club."

"Will you fair well at the wedding tomorrow?" Jade wondered.

"I'll be fine because the focus will be on Chad and Will – hopefully," JJ claimed. "I know people will check in with me, but I will be fine. Do you have a date for the wedding?"

Jade hadn't really thought of having a date. "I did not arrange to have a date, but Qamar and I discussed attending together as pals."

"Did Q go to the party tonight?" JJ asked.

"He did," Jade said with a smile. This was her in. "We must spend time idly at the reception tomorrow. It could be comparable to times past."

JJ was glad he answered Jade's call now. "That would be awesome. It will probably help me deflect some of the attention. I should go to sleep though. It's been a while since I've gotten to enjoy my own bed."

Happy she would get to see JJ again, Jade said, "Night." She waited for JJ to end the call before she put her phone on the charger. Jumping onto her bed, she looked up to the ceiling and smiled. It felt good to know that she and JJ could become friends again. She hoped they would continue to grow closer.

By the time Sami finished, Julian had fallen asleep. Turning to EJ, she gave him a smirk and said, "That is how you get it done."

EJ stood up and helped Sami stand up as well before giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Let's go to bed. We have a lot to do in the morning."

As they headed out, they made sure to close the door quietly and carefully. Curious, Sami turned to her husband and mentioned, "You went somewhere before coming home. Where did you disappear to before the party was over at The Chill?"

Before EJ could tell Sami about his conversation with Marco, Frank rushed down the hall. The limp in his leg was rather noticeable. "I have news…" he began. "I believe I know where Stefano is hiding. He's closer than we thought."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Peter and Delphi actively approached Kristen at the Blake mansion. They were hungry for information. "How was the party?"

Kristen thought about her time with Brady. They stayed mostly to themselves. It truly seemed to be killing Brady to be so cut off from his family even if they had fun together. Noting the impatient looks on her brother and sister-in-law, she finally shared, "It was eventful. Ignazio DiMera made an appearance, but he definitely seemed different."

Crossing his sister, Peter asked, "Did Stefano or Maddalena send him?"

Kristen took a sip of water before saying, "I highly doubt either of them sent him considering, last we knew, Ignazio hated Stefano and we've been in contact with Maddalena. She never mentioned him."

Wondering how Kristen could be so naïve, Delphi argued, "Maddalena has always been known to keep her secrets."

Placing his hand over his chin, Peter considered, "Maybe we should have someone tail Ignazio."

Figuring it couldn't hurt, Kristen said, "We could. Have you had any luck tracking down Alessandro?"

After Peter denied it, Delphi wondered, "Maybe Ignazio knows where his brother is. His popping up when Alessandro goes missing is rather suspicious." She wondered if their lives were about to get interesting again.

Kristen shook her head. "I hate that Alessandro is now M.I.A. I wonder what happened to him, and I wonder what it means for everyone."


	45. Alessandro DiMera

**Chapter 45: Alessandro DiMera – Friday, September 16th, 2016**

 _*Drip*_ The sound from drops of water falling nearby helped awaken Alessandro's consciousness. His eyes slowly fluttered open. As he continued to take in the sounds around him, it took him a moment to become oriented to his surroundings. The place was dark, and the odor wasn't pleasant. Sitting up, his eyes finally adjusted, and he began to take in his surroundings at a better rate. Realizing he was in a murky dungeon of some kind, he questioned, "How did I get here?"

* * *

 _Monday, March 3rd, 2014_

* * *

Once he hauled an unconscious Maddalena out of the castle, Alessandro placed his grandmother in a clinic in Italy where he knew discretion would be kept. After another meeting with Kristen, Peter, and Delphi, he returned to the clinic to check on his grandmother, but before he could walk into the room, he noticed immediately there was someone already inside.

Upon further investigation, Alessandro realized the person inside was Roman Brady. He saw Roman standing over Maddalena's comatose body and then heard the retired cop say, "I promise to come back for you when I am done with Stefano."

When Roman walked out of the room, Alessandro ducked and hid before Roman could see him. After making sure the retired cop was gone, Alessandro entered the room and grabbed his guitar in the corner. He decided two things. The first was he could continue to track Roman in case he managed to find Stefano before he did. The second was that he needed to move Maddalena so Roman couldn't do whatever he hoped to do to his grandmother.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

In the humid dungeon, Alessandro attempted to pull himself up to his feet but found it rather tough. The back of his head felt sore but he wasn't sure why. Studying his state, he realized he was experiencing the aftereffects of being drugged because it was hard to keep his balance. He decided to stay on his knees and crawled around feeling the floor and walls around him hoping to find a way out.

After some time, Alessandro realized he was caged and began to panic. The bars surrounding him felt rather rough and thick. There wasn't space for him to fit between them at all. He wished he could remember who captured him. Suddenly, he heard voices in the distance. Moving closer to where the voices were coming from, he noted he could now see the bars in front of him as he tried to make sense of what was being said.

It was difficult to understand fully, but Alessandro caught on that the "boss" was almost ready for the prisoner. Assuming he was the prisoner, Alessandro moved backwards to where he believed he first woke up. On his way, his hand landed on some kind of tool. He grabbed it and brought it to his face to see what it was. Hope filled him as he realized he could use it as a weapon.

* * *

 _Friday, September 19th, 2014_

* * *

Now that Kristen and Peter were working to take over Titan in Salem, Alessandro arrived to Paris to check in with Maddalena. Since he hadn't had any luck in finding Stefano, he decided to finally ask his grandmother to see if she could give him any pointers.

Pleased to see Alessandro again, Maddalena allowed him to properly greet her before she delightfully announced, "I believe I am almost ready to leave Paris in the next couple of months."

Alessandro was happy to hear that. "This is good because you need to keep moving before you make your return to Salem."

"This is not the plan," Maddalena quickly informed her grandson. "Nipote, I am retiring in my next destination and have no plans to return to Salem." While Alessandro processed the news, Maddalena interrupted his thoughts by asking, "Why did you come here?"

Alessandro told her, "I need help searching for Stefano. Do you have any suggestions?"

Maddalena thought for a moment before sharing, "You should put your attention on Egypt and the surrounding countries. I believe Stefano and André have many secrets in the area because Stefano was usually in the vicinity when he would reach out to me in the past. Have you had any luck in tracking Rolf?"

"Unfortunately, I have not nonna," Alessandro answered.

Maddalena looked down to think of all the damage. "I wish you luck, nipote. Please be careful."

With a slight bow, Alessandro promised, "I will be careful nonna."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

After returning to his original spot in the dungeon, Alessandro continued to work on his makeshift weapon by grinding it against the wall. He hoped to make is sharper. "I'm going to use it whenever someone comes in to get me," he decided mentally.

Lifting his head, Alessandro grew nervous when he heard footsteps coming in his direction. He wondered if this was it. He had run out of time, and he hoped his weapon was sharp enough to cut whoever was coming for him.

A few burly men came in after unlocking the prison door. "You are coming with us," one of them said in a weird accent.

Alessandro let them get close enough so he could swing his weapon at them. It worked. He managed to cut one of the men with his weapon. Pulling himself up and leaning against the wall, he continued to keep the guards at bay by swinging his weapon at them any time they got close.

The three men purposely continued to go after Alessandro by grabbing for his arms, but Alessandro managed to fight them off by either using his weapon or by punching and pushing them away. "Let me go," he relentlessly demanded. "If you do, I won't kill any of you." Trying to ignore the growing pain in the back of his head, he knew he couldn't take all three, but he figured he could kill at least one of them before he allowed them to take him away.

* * *

 _Wednesday, September 14th, 2016_

* * *

A couple days earlier, Alessandro stood in a dark hall with a slightly damaged piece of paper in his left hand. He grabbed it from when he found Roman's last hideout ransacked. After giving Peter the news on Roman, Alessandro remembered telling Peter he may have a lead and planned to check it out.

Walking down the hall, Alessandro uncovered the secret place the piece of paper hinted to. According to Roman's notes, it once belonged to Alessandro's father, André. Roman planned to check it out hoping to find Stefano, but he never got the chance.

Once Alessandro made it inside, he began to search through some documents after dusting them off. He found a picture of Chad as a young boy and read some notes from his father. He discovered that André knew of Chad's existence before Stefano knew Chad was his son. His father wrote, " _I must keep Chad a secret from Stefano because another child, especially a son, would push me out from Stefano's wing most definitely_."

In another file, Alessandro found a picture of Alexandru as a boy paperclipped to a few pages. While Stefano knew about Alexandru, André secretly kept tabs on the son Stefano gave away. There were more pictures of Alexandru throughout his life. "What are these?" Alessandro asked himself taking note that there were some pictures of Alexandru from what appeared to be at a hospital or clinic of some sort.

Moving on, he found a journal full of notes and Polaroid pictures of Maddalena, John, Hope as Gina, Madeline, and Celeste; each were standing outside of one of the DiMera owned castles. André wrote dates on them of when Stefano sent them away and noted how he was keeping tabs on his uncle while staying away from his mother.

Shaking his head, Alessandro tried to understand what he had found. What did all of this mean? After looking through more files, he pulled out a broken-down drawer to uncover a mysterious small button inside. When he firmly pushed it, a secret passage way opened. "More secrets…"

Placing everything in his hands back on the antique desk, Alessandro decided to go through the secret door. It was dark, but he managed to find a light switch on the cracked wall nearby. There was a bulletin board on the wall that contained schematics for the island of Melaswen on one side while the other side contained discolored photos of Colin Murphy, Abe Carver, Jack Deveraux, Maggie Horton, Cassie DiMera, Caroline Brady, Victor Kiriakis, Roman Brady, Doug Williams, Alice Horton, and Marlena Evans. Alessandro had no idea what he was looking at so he turned around to study the open room.

The lighting in the new room was quite eerie, but Alessandro still walked through what seemed to be a lab of some sort where his father ran experiments. On a desk, he picked up some old photos of Marlena. Under the photos was an article about Marlena's possession. "I heard about this, but I never thought it actually happened." There was a recipe connected to the article and André labeled it as a mind-altering drug.

Alessandro could feel his heart beating through his chest. Finding all of this was starting to get to him. He wondered what he had stepped into and decided he didn't want to know why André was so interested in Marlena's possession. Placing the photos and article down, he moved onto the next thing. There was a notebook full of weird formulas Alessandro had never seen before. He couldn't make sense of any of them.

More questions. No matter how hard Alessandro wanted to ignore this, his curiosity continued to get the best of him. "What were you studying down here? What were you testing?"

Placing the spiral notebook down, Alessandro continued to go deeper into the secret lab until he came across a long horizontal mirror with a switch on the other side. When he flicked the switch up, he soon realized the mirror was actually a two-way mirror. Wiping the dust off the mirror, he peered inside to find a small machine next to some vials. The vials contained a purple liquid. "What the hell?" he stepped back.

Suddenly, everything went black. Alessandro was hit over the head and knocked out cold. The man who hit Alessandro turned around to face a few men who entered the room after. "Our boss will be really happy with this find."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

"This is your last warning," Alessandro released hoping the men would let him go. He felt somewhat weak because he had really used most of his energy to fight off the men. "Let me go."

The men looked to each other and decided they had played on long enough because Alessandro appeared to be worn down and tired. They worked together and managed to hit Alessandro so he dropped his weapon. After hitting Alessandro once more, he fell to the ground on top of his weapon. "Let's take him."

Subdued, Alessandro was taken out of the dungeon and led down a dark hall. Alessandro attempted to break free by pulling and pushing with his arms and feet, but he did not try too hard because he had a wild card. He believed the men had no clue he managed to place his weapon in the sleeves of his shirt when he fell on top of if just moments before. "Tell me where you are taking me. What do you want from me?"

The men continued to drag Alessandro down the hall until they could see a light at the end of it. Alessandro continued to demand answers. "Where are you taking me? Who do you work for?"

The men remained silent still until they finally made it to the lit room. Alessandro looked up and saw Rolf standing there studying over something on a table. He then turned his head and was surprised to see Stefano sitting in a chair.

"Hello, Alessandro," Stefano greeted him with a hefty smile. "I heard you were looking for me. Congratulations! You succeeded."

Alessandro couldn't believe this, but he realized he should have expected it. "What's going on? Why am I here?"

Pointing at Alessandro, Stefano began to praise his great-nephew. "You are very smart and capable. You found a secret lab of André's that I have searched for… for decades. Brava." After clapping his hands for a moment, he continued, "Alessandro, I want you for a very important task."

Looking at Stefano as if he were crazy, Alessandro replied, "I will never do anything for you."

Stefano laughed in Alessandro's face. His laughter filled the room even after he stopped. "You don't really have a choice."

"What do you want from me?" Alessandro demanded to know.

With great power in his voice, Stefano disclosed, "I planned on using Marco, but Marco is not within reach, and we're running out of time. I guess this means I will have to settle for you to be my new body man to help in my return to Salem and my family."

Alessandro looked on wondering what Stefano meant. He knew he needed to get out of this situation and began to feel for his knife. The timing had to be right if he hoped to be free from his great-uncle.


	46. We Could Be Chill

**Chapter 46: We Could Be Chill – Saturday, September 17th, 2016**

 **C** hill. That was the mood Dario planned to keep things through the entire day. He and Sonny decided that this would be their main priority as the best men to their best friends on their wedding day.

After checking in with his own fiancé, Dario walked from the kitchen of his mansion and headed upstairs. He took a few deep breaths to clear his mind from thoughts of Ignazio. Things had definitely changed in the last twelve hours or so, and the fact that it happened so quickly truly bothered Dario. "It cannot be that easy," he whispered to himself before attempting to rewire his brain. "Today is not about me. My cousin is marrying a great friend. It's about them and making sure everything goes smoothly."

Arriving outside of the bedroom Chad slept in, Dario took another deep breath and reiterated mentally, "I will deal with Ignazio after today… _if_ I decide that's what I should do."

Carefully entering the dark room, Dario walked across to the covered windows. He slowly opened the tall royal blue curtains allowing the sunlight to enter the rather large guestroom. "Chad…" Dario turned around to wake up his cousin, but to his surprise, Chad's eyes were wide open.

Chad joyfully sat up in the middle of the spacious bed. "Did we finally make it to this day?" He raised his hands in excitement while he stretched.

With a spirited smile, Dario elatedly answered, "It's finally here." He headed for the door and announced, "I made breakfast for you so you may want to eat first before you get dressed and ready for the wedding."

Chad got out of bed and scratched his exposed chest. "I am a bit hungry since I didn't really eat much the night before," he admitted. Following Dario out of the room, he added, "Lexie, EJ, and Cameron should be here soon. I think I am getting wedding jitters because my stomach is feeling weird."

"You're hungry," Dario tried to make sense of Chad's nerves. "Nothing will go wrong today."

Chad sighed. "I hope so."

Dario continued to lead Chad to the breakfast nook as he encouraged, "Just relax and chill. The only task you have today is to marry the man you love."

Hearing Dario's encouragement caused Chad to take in this moment. It was so important for him to do so. Glowing even more now, he corrected himself. "Everything will go smoothly today."

Since Dario had the plates already set on the table, he and Chad sat down to eat. "I hope it tastes alright. I can cook, but I am not anywhere near Sonny's level."

Chad gave his cousin a look of appreciation. He rolled his shoulders before grabbing his fork to dig in. "I am sure it is tasty." He took a bite and quickly affirmed, "Mm… Tasty."

Dario immediately laughed and began to relax as well. He believed his task on making sure Chad remained stress-free would be an easy one. He wasn't so sure it would be with everything that happened this week.

After a few bites, Chad felt the need to check in with Dario about the night before. "How are _you_ doing?"

"I'm fine," Dario said before drinking some orange juice.

Placing his fork down, Chad gave Dario a serious look. "How are you doing after seeing Ignazio for the first time in years?"

Dario almost spit out his orange juice. He quickly swallowed what he had in his mouth before trying to catch up to what Chad just asked. "We don't need to talk about that."

Chad really didn't want Dario to put things to the side if he really was struggling. He decided to share some of his own thoughts hoping it would get Dario to be honest with him. "A part of me wonders if Stefano did send him here as the final gift he mentioned in the video."

Dario was still set on shutting this conversation down. "Chad. Today is not about Ignazio or Stefano. Today you should focus on Will, and Will only."

Sighing, Chad admitted, "That may be a tad difficult to separate because Will's wellbeing in my main priority."

Clearing his throat, Dario pushed, "Would Will want you to worry about this?"

Knowing Dario was right, Chad let the conversation go. "Thanks for doing this for me. I'm glad I picked you to be my best man."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Meanwhile at Will's mansion, Sonny was fervently cooking breakfast when Will suddenly rushed into the kitchen to make sure there was room and space for when Andrew and Gabi arrived with the food from the pub for the reception. Sonny could see that Will's mind was everywhere. "Chill, Will. What you're doing is not your responsibility. Your only job is to get dressed and be in place for the wedding to start."

"I can't," Will replied trying his best not to get distracted by Sonny. Once he had everything mentally checked off on the list in his brain, he promptly headed out of the kitchen.

Sonny stopped cooking and turned off the stove. He quickly grabbed a bag of chips he strategically placed on the counter and briskly followed Will out. Rushing over to stand in front of his friend to make him stop, Sonny ate a few chips in front of him.

Thrown by Sonny's behavior, Will released some frustration. "Sonny, what are you doing? Why aren't you getting dressed and ready?"

Sonny continued to leisurely eat the chips for a moment before finally saying, "Will, the ceremony is here, and we don't need to rush anything."

Will gave Sonny a blank look before repeating, "I don't have time for this." He watched as Sonny continued to eat his chips in an annoying fashion and finally asked, "What are you even doing?"

Realizing Will wasn't catching on, Sonny replied, "Will, we have plenty of time. Just relax." He made sure to slow his speech so he could put emphasis on every word he spoke.

Flustered at this point because he didn't understand why Sonny was slowing him down, Will shot back, "You can slack off if you want but today is an important day for me because this is a big event that will impact the rest of my life!"

When Will tried to get by, Sonny pushed him back. Even more upset, Will managed to rush past Sonny, but Sonny reacted quickly by throwing the chips on the floor and shouting, "Do you want to be by Chad's side for the rest of your life?"

Sonny's question stopped Will in his tracks. Where was this coming from? Turning around to face his friend, Will immediately noted Sonny had a playful smirk on his face. The reason he was doing this all came back to him. Sonny was recreating their interaction from before the first concert at The Chill. Unable to help himself, Will grinned. "You're such a smartass. Congrats on making me smile in all my stress."

"I'm glad I could get you to pause and actually enjoy what's happening today." Sonny hoped he could get Will to relax even longer.

Will tried to walk off, but Sonny stepped in front of him once more to make sure he didn't try to go anywhere. "Will. You have to eat something so you don't feel too weak in the knees when you marry Chad."

Smiling again, Will shook his head at Sonny. "Fine." He looked at the time and said, "I have five minutes to eat."

Sonny grabbed Will's hand and pulled him into the kitchen so he could finish cooking. "We'll work on allotting more time for breakfast."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

In the kitchen at the pub, Caroline was finishing up the last dish for the reception while Andrew and Gabi were packing the food and equipment they planned to take to Chad and Will's mansion. Gabi turned to Andrew and shared, "I've gone through everything three times to make sure we have what we need."

"I am done!" Caroline announced. She wiped her hands and knew she only had so much time to get dressed now.

"Great!" Andrew told his grandmother before turning back to Gabi. Lowering his voice, he asked, "So will you tell me how things went with Justin now since you refused to tell me yesterday?"

Gabi grabbed an empty box and handed it to Andrew. "We still don't have time. You should help your grandma pack up what she made while I continue to make sure everything is prepped for the reception. I also have to get myself and Carter dressed." She had brought their clothes to the pub so she didn't have to return home.

Just then Shane and Kim entered the kitchen. "May we help with anything?" Shane asked.

Andrew, who also needed to change clothes, turned to Gabi and said, "Go ahead and get dressed. I've got things covered here." Turning back to his dad and mom, he said, "We need to start taking these boxes to the van. Where's Jeannie?"

"She should be down soon," Kim informed her son. She placed her hand on Caroline's back and suggested, "Ma, how about I help you get ready for the wedding."

Caroline nodded her head and followed Kim out of the kitchen. On their way to the stairs, they ran into Jeannie, who was holding another woman's hand. "Jeannie, good morning."

With a huge smile, Jeannie said, "Good morning, grandma. I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Greys."

Caroline warmly shook Greys's hand before giving her granddaughter a confused look. "What happened to your last girlfriend?"

Kim nudged her mom a bit surprised by her mother's forwardness. "Ma…"

Realizing how rude her question sounded, Caroline quickly apologized. "I am sorry for my curiosity."

Jeannie laughed it off and raised her shoulders as she smartly stated, "I upgraded to a better model."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

In the main room of the DiMera mansion, Sami walked in and noted EJ was already in his suit. "Is my watch off or something? I'm not even dressed…"

EJ smiled and pulled Sami close to help her relax. "I'm supposed to meet with Chad, Lexie, and Cameron at Dario's next door to help Chad with whatever he needs before the wedding," he reminded her.

Sami sighed with relief and told herself to chill. "Well, I need to head back upstairs to make sure Johnny and Sydney have what they need before changing Julian. Then I can get completely dressed since I'm supposed to see Will soon. Lucas is picking me up."

EJ gave Sami a kiss and wanted to do what he could to help her relax. "Go ahead, Samantha. I'll make sure Jade, Johnny, and Sydney are ready before I head out. I'm sure Chad doesn't mind if I am a little late."

Sami patted EJ's chest and grinned. "Thank you."

After Sami went upstairs, Frank entered from the side door. "Mr. DiMera, I wanted to check in with you about your father. We know he is at Maison Blanche for sure now… what's left of it is that is. The team I sent that way verified it when they saw some activity last night. Do you really want to go ahead with your decision on how to deal with your father?"

With a firm nod, EJ said, "Go ahead with the plan. I want this done so nothing gets in the way of the family living our lives once again."

Frank had his phone in his hand. "For what it's worth, I think you're doing the right thing." After pushing the call button, he headed out to tell the team to head back to get in position and call him when they were ready.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

After Jennifer exited the kitchen of her home, she moved to the foot of the stairs and shouted, "Breakfast is ready!" She turned around and jumped because Jack was in the living room already dressed for the wedding. "Oh Jack. How did things go last night?" Even though Jack stayed the night in the guest room, they didn't talk much about his night with their son after Chad and Will's rehearsal dinner because JJ was around. They had clearly already overwhelmed him with the get together before at JoJo's.

Jack smiled noting Jen was dressed already as well. "You look beautiful. Things went well last night."

Jen was happy to hear that. "Are you good to watch JJ before the wedding and then take him? I need to head to the airport to pick up my parents and Mike and then rush them back here so they can get dressed for the wedding."

"Don't worry," Jack started. "I'm good to watch JJ and take him." Even though he was about to head out to meet with Nicole, he decided to help Jen out with their son. He looked at the time and hoped JJ would be ready soon.

Coming down the stairs, JJ still felt weird being home again. He asked his mom, "Did you call for me?"

Jen gave JJ a hug and wanted to hold him forever but knew she couldn't. "I already made you a plate for breakfast, but if you want more you can serve yourself." Turning to Jack, she said, "I made enough for you as well."

Jack gave Jen an appreciative look. "Thanks."

JJ noted the civility between his parents. He found it odd that his dad stayed the night as well. A part of him wondered if they were putting on a show for him.

Before JJ could head into kitchen, Jen asked, "How did you sleep?"

JJ put on a smile and said, "I am fine mom. Don't worry." Internally, he wished he would stop getting similar questions concerning his state because they were already driving him crazy.

Giving JJ one more hug, Jen grabbed her purse and keys and said, "I am sorry I keep checking in with you. It's just really good to see you again. I'll be back."

With Jen gone, Jack followed his son into the kitchen. JJ took a seat at the table since his plate was already set while Jack grabbed a plate from the cupboard. He thought about how they no longer had TV or movies to keep them distracted like the night before. "How did you sleep?" As soon as he asked his question, he remembered Jen had just asked the same question before she left.

JJ didn't react and kept his answer short. "Alright."

Placing a few pancakes on his plate, Jack joined his son at the table. "I slept well in the guest room," he commented.

JJ chose not to respond and focused on eating.

Jack poured syrup on his pancakes. "If you need a timeout from the wedding festivities at any point today, we can find a quiet place together and chill out. I noticed you needed some time alone at your aunt Adrienne's restaurant yesterday."

Hearing his dad, JJ realized he was hiding. His counselor warned him about this before he was checked out at rehab. He stopped eating and admitted, "I am having a hard time adjusting to being out for only twenty-four hours. It's all so overwhelming."

To encourage his son, Jack stated, "You're doing well with rehab. Your mom and I talked to your counselor as well."

JJ wasn't sure how to respond so he took a big bite of his pancakes.

Jack picked up that JJ didn't want to talk about anything too deep even though he confided how he was feeling. "I promise I will drop this conversation after I say one last thing." Clearing his throat, he mentioned, "When the family started joining my therapy sessions ages ago, I wanted to open up so that you and your sister would see that through the darkness I managed to come out on the other end of it all. JJ, I want you to know that whatever happens there is always a light at the end of the tunnel."

JJ swallowed his food and looked straight into his dad's eyes. "Dad, this isn't your fault."

Jack looked down and began to focus on eating his food.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Back at Chad and Will's mansion, Kate and Marlena arrived outside and enthusiastically rang the doorbell. Both were ecstatic about their grandson getting married today to the man he loved. "I want everything to be perfect," Kate commandingly stated as she pulled out her compact to make sure her appearance was still on point.

Marlena agreed without hesitation. "Will and Chad definitely deserve the best today."

Partially dressed for the wedding, Sonny finally answered the door. "Good morning. Come in."

Walking in with Kate, Marlena questioned, "How is Will feeling?"

Raising his eyes, Sonny cautioned, "Will is kind of high-strung today."

Marlena showed some concern in her voice with her next question. "Is Will having second thoughts?"

As Kate rolled her eyes at Marlena, Sonny quickly denied it. "Will is in his room taking a shower now – finally. I am now getting dressed because I had to force Will to drop everything so he could get ready. It's not second thoughts. I think he just wants everything to go perfectly for Chad."

"Are all the decorations here?" Kate questioned after placing her compact back in her purse. She wanted to do what she could to make sure things were to Will's liking.

"They are," Sonny confirmed. "Everything was placed in the backyard not too long ago." Leading Kate and Marlena to the backyard, he shared, "Fortunately, you won't have to do much to finish the decorating."

When they arrived to the garden, Marlena and Kate smiled because mostly everything was set in place – including the white and blue chairs for the guests. Noting Eric and Nicole were setting up their equipment, Marlena turned to Kate and asked, "Should we get to work?

Kate nodded her head and said, "Let's do this."

Sonny returned inside the mansion and left Kate and Marlena to a box of flowers and other small decorations. "I believe Will said he wants these to be placed down the aisle and on the outsides of the chairs," Marlena said aloud to remind herself and Kate.

Kate agreed and began to help Marlena place the flowers. She couldn't help noting, "Some of these flowers were Chad's mother's favorites. He told me he wanted to do something special for Madeline since she can't be here."

Marlena thought Will had picked out everything and didn't realize Chad had any input on the wedding. She paused for a moment and looked at the flower arrangement differently. Reflecting on her future grandson-in-law, she admitted, "I didn't know what to think of Chad at first. Sometimes I still don't know."

Kate continued to decorate as she revealed, "I believed Chad and Will would be perfect together, but I struggled when Chad ran out on him. Chad has proven himself again though. He has always loved Will, and Will has always loved him. Chad is in this for the long haul."

"Will is in this for the long haul as well," Marlena replied.

When Eric walked over alone to greet the two, Kate quickly dismissed herself to finish on the other side of the chairs. "Nicole and I are about done out here so we will move into the ballroom to start set up in there," he announced.

Marlena noted things had become lighter for her son since Thursday evening, but she was still worried about him. "How are things with you and Nicole? You never told me how dinner went the other night."

With a small smile, Eric answered, "Things are going well. I have some good news to tell you later."

"I can't wait to hear it," Marlena said. She really hoped Eric remained as happy as he seemed now.

Back inside, Will continued to take a shower. It was a rather long one because he couldn't stop getting lost in his concerns. Stefano had done too much to him and Chad. "Chill out, Will. Stefano won't ruin our happiness anymore. I will make sure of it."


	47. We Could Be Home

**Chapter 47: We Could Be Home – Saturday, September 17th, 2016**

 **H** ome is the place one longs for when one is lost, sick, or just feeling alone. Moving to a new place and buying a house can be a great experience, but sometimes no matter how hard one tries, a house cannot be made into a home. Home is safe. Home is life. Home is love.

Standing outside by her car, Jennifer anxiously anticipated the moment when her parents and brother, Mike, would walk out of the airport. She could not wait to see them again and hoped their flight made it in okay. Spotting her mother's wavy blonde colored hair in the busy crowd, she perked up and watched as they moved rather quickly to her car. Since the trunk was already open, Bill and Mike put the luggage inside while Jen lovingly hugged her mother first. "It's so good to see you again, mom."

After echoing the same sentiment to her daughter, Laura moved the hair from Jen's face before asking, "How is JJ doing so far?"

As Jen gave her father and brother hugs, she showed some guilt on her face as she admitted, "I've been on him probably too much. I can't help but worry that I may help him make a mistake while he's out."

Rubbing his younger sister's back, Mike assured her, "Everything will be fine. We'll all have fun this weekend." He opened the front door for his mom and said, "I just got word that Robin and Jeremy aren't going to make the wedding this weekend unfortunately after all."

Jen tried to remain positive as everyone got in the car. It was hard to smile because JJ was going back into rehab tonight. This visit was definitely too short. Once everyone had put their seatbelt on, she drove off.

Nearby, Frank stood outside with a small sign in his hands. Velvet and Kelvin's names were on it, so when they exited the airport, they approached Frank and asked, "Did Chad Grace set you up as our ride?"

Confused, Frank clarified, "Chad DiMera sent me to pick you up. Velvet and Kelvin, right?" He wanted to make sure they were the right people even though they fit the descriptions Chad gave him.

Laughing suddenly, Velvet embarrassingly took Kelvin's arm and explained, "I apologize. I keep forgetting Chad's real last name is DiMera since he introduced himself to us as Chad Grace back in Texas."

Remembering that Chad had a daughter named Grace, Frank gave Chad's old co-workers a nod. "Is this all of your luggage?"

After helping Frank with the luggage, Kelvin shared, "I can't wait to see Chad again. It's been forever."

"The driver is taking you to Chad's cousin's mansion where you are staying while you are in town," Frank shared. "The same driver will be waiting for you to take you to Chad and Will's mansion when you are ready."

"Chad lives in a mansion," Kelvin released with a huge grin on his face. "This will be extra weird now."

Velvet agreed with Kelvin as they climbed into the limo. "The Chad Grace we knew back in Texas is not the same one in Salem. He went from that old run down apartment to a mansion and lots of money."

Frank sent the driver off as he remained at the airport. He pulled out his phone and sent a text that read: "Today is going to be crazy. Wish you could be here with me."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Meanwhile, Sami and Lucas stood outside of Will's bedroom door to check in with him before the wedding. "Knock on the door again. I don't think he heard you the first time," Sami pushed Lucas.

When Lucas knocked on the door another time, Will peeped his head out and shared, "I'm not completely dressed yet."

Giving her son a questioning look, Sami barged into the room and noted Will only had a towel wrapped around his waist. As Lucas walked in and closed the door, she remembered how Sonny told her that Will seemed stressed when she arrived. She curiously questioned, "What's taking you so long? You're not even _partially_ dressed."

"I've been making calls to make sure everything is going to plan," Will admitted.

Assuming Will was referring to the wedding, Sami relaxed the tone of her voice as she assured, "Everything is fine. Don't worry about all of that. Your grandmas have everything covered, and I know Eric and Nicole are already set up for the ceremony and reception." She was happy Eric agreed to take photos for Will's wedding for her son and her wedding magazine. "I'll look around and check everything while your dad makes sure you get dressed." Sami made sure to give Lucas a look so he kept their son on task.

Will watched as his mom then put her hand out in front of him. "What?"

"Hand me your phone," Sami firmly directed her son. "You don't need any more distractions."

"Fine." Will handed his phone over to his mother before raising his eyebrows to his father.

After closing the door when Sami walked out, Lucas watched as Will moved into his closet to get dressed. "Is there more going on here?"

Pretending to be clueless, Will replied with his own question. "What else could be going on?" He found a pair of comfortable but stylish briefs to wear and waited for his father to respond.

Lucas scratched the side of his head after taking a seat on Will and Chad's bed. "I heard about Stefano reaching out from your Grandma Kate."

Taking a deep breath, Will stopped putting on his dress shirt and asked, "Is it your plan to lecture me before my wedding about how I need to distance myself from the DiMera family?"

Lucas noted the hostility from his son and was now additionally concerned there was more going on here. "Will, we've moved past that a long time ago," he reminded him.

* * *

 _Saturday, September 21st, 2013_

* * *

Sitting in the kitchen of Sonny and Will's old apartment with his son, Sophie, and Allie, Lucas cleared his throat before saying, "Will, there's something I need to say to you before we head back to Hong Kong."

Will noted Sophie take Lucas's hand; she did so to encourage him and give him strength. Will eyed his father knowing this was something serious. "Yeah?"

"It's important," Lucas confirmed. "I struggled with your orientation and took too long to finally accept it, but when I did, I told you some very important things that I needed to remind myself recently. Do you remember when I came by to talk to you alone two years ago?"

With a nod, Will confirmed, "I remember. I could never forget."

Clearing his throat again, Lucas continued, "I was dead set against Chad because of what he did to you. I didn't want to see you get in the same cycle that I had been through in the past. Even though I could sense Chad's love for you at the concert last night and I tried to stop Chad from following you out, I let my fear get the best of me because it reminded me of how I tried to tell Sami I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." Lucas squeezed Sophie's hand and affirmed, "I am very happy with where I am now, and I also recognize I should not try to steal your right to decide what you want."

As Will swallowed hard taking in everything his dad was saying, Lucas asked him, "Do you love Chad? What does your heart want, Will?"

Now on the spot, Will took some time to reflect on his conversation with Chad after the concert. He turned and noted that Allie was waiting patiently for him to respond as well. "I still love Chad, and I want to work things out with him because even though I tried to fight it, I can't escape what's there. I don't want to rush it, but I know that in time it will happen."

Lucas immediately smiled at Will. Before he could respond verbally, they all heard Sonny's bedroom door open.

A smile crept on Will's face as he put his finger over his lips to sign to everyone to stay quiet.

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Saturday, September 17th, 2016_

* * *

Will exited the closet and walked over to his dresser. He grabbed his key necklace and smiled. "Chad is all that matters to me today because he is my home and I can't lose that." With the necklace still in his hands so he could give it to Lexie later, he returned to his closet to finish getting dressed.

Lucas thought about how to approach his son on what he believed was stressing him out. Taking a deep breath, he finally came out with it. "Your grandma told me about the video from Stefano, too. I wonder if you're high-strung about the wedding because you fear Stefano will find a way to ruin your happiness with Chad."

"Dad," Will started as he pulled up his black slacks. He walked out of the closet as he buttoned them. "Stefano is not getting in the way of my wedding directly or indirectly. I won't allow it."

Lucas realized that talking about Stefano only seemed to make his son tenser. He decided to calm him by joking, "Well, he may not need to because you're still not completely dressed. Put your clothes on so you can marry Chad." Getting serious, he moved closer to his son and placed his hand on his back. "I'm proud of you, and so is the rest of the family."

Will took a deep breath realizing he needed to focus on the positives of today. He pulled his dad into a hug and said, "Thank you."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

At Dario's mansion, Lexie walked into the bedroom to find Chad completely dressed and ready to go. "You look very handsome," she complimented him.

Turning away from the cheval glass mirror, Chad smiled at Lexie and glowingly said, "You look amazing, Lexie. Blue really suits you. Thanks for coming here before the wedding. How is Theo?"

With an assuring nod, Lexie gratefully answered, "Theo is fine. I dropped him off at Bo and Hope's house. Are you ready to do this?"

"Definitely," Chad stated without hesitation. Looking towards the door, his cheerful attitude dissipated as he questioned, "Did you see EJ before you came in?"

Lexie nodded her head before verbally confirming, "He and Dario are on their phones."

Glad to have this moment alone with his sister, Chad moved closer and shared, "Something is off about EJ. He's keeping quiet about something. Did he mention anything about Stefano to you?"

Lexie denied it before urging, "Don't think about Stefano at all today. Your mind should be focused on Will and making your home with him."

Figuring Lexie was right, Chad digressed and returned his attention to the mirror. His smile reappeared upon his face because he began to imagine standing with Will at the gazebo in their garden holding each other's hands. Turning back to Lexie, he grabbed his key around his neck and focused on how his sister said the word _home_. "I owe a lot to you for always believing and encouraging me. I remember talking to you about my friendship with Will and realizing I was in love with him."

Proudly smiling with Chad, Lexie eloquently admitted, "Even in my darkest moments, I knew you and Will were meant to be."

After taking off his necklace and handing it to his sister, Chad moved closer and gave Lexie a loving hug. She held him tight. "I feel so honored to be the one to officiate your marriage to Will. Chad, enjoy every moment with him."

"I plan to do that," Chad promised.

EJ slowly stepped into the room. "We should probably head to the mansion." Noting how his siblings were hugging, he mentioned to his brother, "I sent your sister in to get you, but I can see you both got distracted."

Chad looked at the time and realized EJ was right. "Let's go then."

Heading out of the room and rushing down the stairs, Chad was greeted by Cameron, who had arrived while Chad was getting dressed. "Sorry I arrived late. I dropped Chelsea off at your place. You look sharp," he said as he patted his brother on the back.

"You, too," Chad said with a smile.

As Dario entered the grand foyer, Cameron turned to EJ and asked, "Any news on the Stefano front?"

Remembering what she and Chad decided in the room upstairs, Lexie strongly suggested, "We should leave talk of Stefano for another day."

EJ agreed with Lexie as they headed out to the limo. "Today is not about father."

Once they were all inside the limo, Chad took the opportunity to say something to everyone with him. He focused on Cameron first. "Hey, I just want to say I really appreciate you for being a part of this day with me. You are a great addition to the family, and I am proud to call you brother."

Cameron gave Chad an appreciative nod as he said, "No problem."

Turning to Dario, Chad patted his leg. "Thank you for being my best man. I couldn't have asked for a better person to make sure I had everything I needed for this day."

"It's not over just yet," Dario joked to keep Chad from getting too emotional before the ceremony.

Chad laughed at Dario before turning to EJ, who sat next to Lexie. "Thank you for stepping in with Lexie to represent my parental figures in my wedding since neither of my parents will be there. Fingers crossed he who shall not be named doesn't make an appearance. Things have been difficult between us, but I'm glad that you're here for me today."

EJ simply responded by tipping his head to his brother.

With his eyes on his sister now, Chad sensed a swelling pride in her as they made eye contact. "Thank you, Lexie, again for being my encourager, for being my wisdom, and for just being real with me." His thoughts went to the secret he and Rex decided to keep from her. He never wanted to see her hurt again like he did all those years ago. He looked to his siblings and Dario and smiled. "I have learned so much from all four of you, and I want you all to know that I love you all very much. You made today possible."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

In the meantime, Theo was sitting in the living room of Bo and Hope's house when Bo walked downstairs. "Looking good, Theo."

Theo raised his head to look at Ciara's father and quickly said, "You do too, Mr. Brady."

Knowing Bo came down to grill Theo about his friendship with Ciara, Hope swiftly made her way down the stairs as well. "Ciara is almost ready, so we should be able to leave soon." After putting in her last earring, she stood in front of her husband and began to mess with his tie to keep him from sitting next to their daughter's best friend. "How are you feeling, Theo?"

Theo felt a discomfort in the room and looked down as he answered, "I'm fine. I haven't had any headaches since yesterday."

"That's good news," Hope commented.

Even though his wife was blocking him from taking a seat with the guy, Bo kept his eyes on Theo. "Ciara usually doesn't take this long to get ready."

Hope kept her focus on Bo and thought about how Ciara was stalling because Theo was there. She didn't mention it but shared, "Ciara wants to make sure she looks good because there will be cameras everywhere."

Without thinking, Theo looked forward as he stated, "I'm sure Ciara doesn't have anything to worry about because she's very photogenic without really trying."

Bo quickly gave Hope a look to let her know he couldn't let this go. When his wife finally left his tie alone, he moved around her and closer to Theo. "Do you really feel that way about Ciara?"

Theo realized what he said and tried to play it off. "I just mean that Ciara takes great photos all the time."

Theo's cheeks began to redden from being called out. Hope got Bo to back off fortunately by stating, "I think she gets that from her daddy."

Bo turned to Hope and smiled. "She definitely gets it from you, Fancy Face."

Ciara finally made her way down the stairs and announced, "I'm ready." Theo turned around and smiled at her as she awkwardly smiled back. She couldn't escape how she broke her promise to him.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

JJ sat on the antique couch at the Horton house when Abby entered through the front door. Shifting his body so he could look back, he was surprised to see his sister. "What are you doing here?"

"Josh dropped me off so he could head to the wedding early," Abby anxiously informed her brother. Sitting next to him, she questioned, "Where is everyone?"

Somewhat bored due to avoiding almost everything, JJ twiddled his thumbs. "Mom is in the kitchen making more pancakes and dad already left for the wedding since he's covering it for work. I was supposed to go with him, but I told him I didn't want to go early." Pointing up, he continued, "Grandpa, grandma, and Uncle Mike are upstairs getting dressed."

Noting how JJ wouldn't look at her, Abby wanted to make sure her brother was okay. "How are you taking everything in?"

JJ finally turned to his sister as he confessed, "It's a bit weird being out, and I'm trying to avoid any big triggers. I now have less than twelve hours left."

Hoping to help, Abby ignored the fact that JJ would be back in rehab soon and genuinely asked, "What are those big triggers?"

Before JJ could answer, Mike, Laura, and Bill walked down the stairs. They entered the living room and gave JJ and Abby hugs. "It's so good that you're home for the wedding."

Rubbing her stomach, Abby stepped back and witnessed her extended family asking JJ very intrusive questions about his experience while completely ignoring her pregnancy. She could see it was starting to get to her brother. Before she could step in to help, JJ pushed back first, "Thanks for all the attention, but today is not about me. Today is about Will marrying Chad. I'm just out to celebrate his day with all of you."

Walking out of the kitchen, Jen noticed the tension in the room. "I have breakfast if you need to eat something before the wedding," she informed her parents and brother. She turned to JJ and noted he seemed very stressed. Even though she had tried to avoid it to this point, it bothered her that it hadn't even been an entire day and JJ seemed to be struggling rather hard. What did this mean?

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

As Chad, his siblings, and cousin, Dario, entered the mansion, John and Marlena stood nearby talking to Bo, Hope, Steve, and Shane. Bo had shared the news concerning Roman's text from the night before adding, "I'm not sure what to make of it."

Holding his wife near, John wondered aloud, "Maybe Roman is close to getting Stefano and wasn't taken. He may have been attacked and escaped whoever attacked him."

As Bo, Hope, and Marlena began to ponder his hypothesis, Shane commented, "From the report I received, it's possible Roman walked away from the fight. My team is still following a few leads."

Looking across the room at Kayla, Kim, Caroline, Stephanie, Joey, Jeannie, and Greys, Steve shared, "My hope is that it was Stefano who attacked Roman and Roman has the bastard where he wants him."

"I highly doubt that," Shane swiftly stated. "Roman has apparently done something to his phone because we can't track his signal. Something is off for sure."

Spotting Chad checking in with a few guests, Marlena suggested, "We should table this discussion for now."

John agreed with his wife. "We will work on tracking Roman after the wedding."

Walking with Ciara, Theo internally noted she was quieter than normal. He wondered if it had anything to do with what he told her parents back at her house. He bit the bullet and asked, "Did you hear what I said about you being photogenic?"

Ciara, who had been deep in her thoughts about Abe's watch and her conversation with Celeste, gave Theo a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"Never mind."

Unable to bear the guilt, Ciara released, "I am sorry because I broke your trust."

Now the confused one, Theo questioned, "What are _you_ talking about?"

Ciara explained, "I told your grandma about your vision – about how you saw Stefano."

Theo's confusion turned into frustration and disappointment. He never thought Ciara would betray his trust. "How could you do this? I thought you were on my side!"

When Theo walked off, Ciara stalled as she remembered her nightmare… Theo asked her if she would always be on his side. She took a deep a breath to collect herself realizing she needed to go after him to fix this.

Noting the disappointment on his brother's face, Brandon stopped Theo to check in with him. "Hey man. Everything okay?"

Ciara joined them causing Theo to shut down on Brandon even before he could respond. He sighed in frustration wanting to get away from all of this.

Brandon continued his attempts to calm Theo. Ciara decided to walk off because she realized she wasn't making things easy for Brandon. "Theo... what's going on?" he asked.

Theo sighed again realizing he pushed Ciara away. Everything was so messed up now.

Brandon chose to stop trying to push Theo to say anything. He figured his brother just needed some quiet and space. Looking up, he noted Jen walking in with her family. He wondered if he should say hello, but Lucas went over to greet them before directing them out back to where most of the guests were heading to take their seats for the ceremony.

Outside, Safiya was talking to her brother, Qamar, after they found seats for him, their father, and Qamar's mother. "I already told dad you all can come over one night to hang out in the jacuzzi."

Qamar simply nodded his head. Even though he heard his sister, his focus was on JJ and how out of place he seemed.

Safiya noted her brother's eyes were on JJ. "You must be worried about your friend."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Qamar agreed. "I really hope this doesn't set JJ back because he deserves a good life."

Safiya continued to watch her brother's concern and suggested, "You should go talk to him."

Qamar turned back to look at his parents sitting quietly. The last thing he wanted to do was overwhelm JJ. "I should take my seat so I don't keep you from what you need to do. I'll talk to you after the wedding."

Patting her brother's arm to show support, Safiya gave Qamar a smile. "See you after the wedding."

Upstairs, Sami was now alone with a dressed Will. She still had his phone in her possession and planned to keep it that way – especially after what she found in his call log when she looked. With an encouraging expression on her face, she announced, "Everything is ready downstairs, and you're going to light up when you see it all."

Feeling better about things, Will relaxed as he said, "My heart is beating so fast while everything is moving so slow around me. I am a bit shocked that I am here today."

"Believe it, Will," Sami warmly and playfully urged. She noted his eyes had glazed over. "Where did you go?"

Will returned his focus to his mother. "I was thinking about when I lived and worked at the pub and how you came to visit to talk through your relationship with EJ."

Sami laughed as she shook her head because that was so long ago. "What I said is still true," she maintained.

Will continued to reflect on what his mother said to him that day. "I keep thinking about how you said we don't choose who we love and how that was before I was willing to accept that I found other men attractive."

Sami's smile grew as she shared, "That was before you realized you had fallen in love with your friend, once enemy, Chad."

* * *

 _Saturday, July 23rd, 2011_

* * *

Will sat in his apartment on the couch and looked at his cell phone. He tried to shake off the nerves; he feared that his mother would respond the same way his father did. Lucas did not want Will to be who he knew he was. Will hoped Sami would accept him the way Adrienne and Justin accepted Sonny.

Hearing a knock on the door, Will's anxiousness increased. He walked over and took a deep breath before opening it to let Sami inside.

Sami lightly smiled when she saw Will's face. "Will." She tried to hide her nerves as best she could.

"Thanks for coming mom." Will closed the door and headed to the couch, so they could take a seat. Will's heart began to beat faster and harder as he thought about telling his mother his secret. "There's something I need to tell you."

Sami sensed Will's nervousness. She watched as he tapped his leg faster and faster and noticed his pale face. She knew she had to calm and reassure him. "Will, I hope you know that I love you no matter what. There's nothing you can say or do that would make me love you less."

Will appreciated his mother's words, but he still felt anxious. After taking a deep breath, he started, "Do you remember when I got back from that camping trip and you and dad asked me to sit down so we could talk?"

Sami nodded her head.

"Do you remember how when you mentioned Sonny was doing drugs, and I thought you were talking about something else?"

"Yes, Will… I do." Sami thought back and wished she could take back believing that Sonny did drugs. "Your father and I both know that Sonny is not into drugs, and we know that you never were either."

"Yeah, well… there's a reason I was so defensive that day. I was keeping a secret from you and dad," Will admitted. He looked down in shame as he continued. He did not want to see his mother's face when he made his announcement. "Mom… I'm gay." Will looked up at Sami after he said it and noticed tears coming out of her eyes. He began to worry. "Are you upset?"

Sami wiped her face and shook her head. "No, Will. These are happy tears." She smiled and took his hands. "I'm happy because you are so brave and that you are letting me in." Sami wiped her face again and moved closer to Will. "I know that I did not make it easy for you growing up, and I sensed there were times you had these walls up to protect yourself from me. I'm sorry that I made you do that. I should have been a better mother."

"Mom… It's not your fault that I'm gay."

"No, I am not saying that at all." Sami smiled at Will. "I'm just saying that I am so happy that you're allowing me to know the real you and you're allowing me to love the real you. That's all I've ever wanted. I love you Will no matter what. You being gay does not change that."

Will felt a joy fill his spirit. He could not help but smile. "Do you remember when you came to me at the pub and opened up to me about your love for EJ?" Sami nodded her head. "When you opened up to me about that, it helped me see that I was not experiencing life like I was supposed to."

Sami let out a small giggle. "I thought you weren't listening."

"I was listening. The way you described your love for EJ made me realize that I wanted the same." Will smiled as he thought about Chad. His eyes began to water. "I think I found that love with someone because even though everything and everyone tells me that it's not normal, I know in my heart that it's right."

Sami wiped her face again. "Is it Chad?"

Will smiled as tears fell down his face. "Yeah. I love him. I just don't know if he feels the same way."

Sami wiped the tears from Will's face. "I know Chad loves you, too. I can tell by the way that he looks at you. I can tell by the way that he talks about you. He does love you!" Sami wanted the best for Will and believed Chad could offer that to him.

Will appreciated hearing his mother's perspective and remembered what Kate told him. Will could not help but focus on the experiences that told him otherwise though. "I'm afraid to tell Chad how I feel because I haven't even told him I'm gay. I don't want to ruin my friendship with Chad by telling him."

Sami squeezed both of Will's hands and looked deep into his eyes. "If you keep hiding from him, you'll never have a friendship with Chad. I won't push you into anything, but I think you should tell Chad."

Will stood up and helped Sami stand up with him, so that he could hug her. "I love you so much, mom. Thank you so much for accepting me and helping me."

Holding onto Will, Sami kissed Will on the cheek. "I love you, too."

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Saturday, September 17th, 2016_

* * *

Smiling wide, Will said, "I have moved from place to place and though I don't know if Chad and I will always live in this mansion we built together, I know no matter what happens I will always be home with Chad." A fearful sadness suddenly entered him as he added, "I can't lose that."

Sami swiftly moved in to wrap her arms around her eldest. "You won't."

Will held onto his mother as he hoped, "I really need at least one thing to go perfectly today."

Slightly separating from Will so she could look into his eyes, Sami pointedly told him, "Though the entire family is not here, the wedding will be perfect. You won't have one of my many interrupted weddings."

Tears fell from Will's eyes as he began to laugh. He knew his mother was right. "No secrets are going to keep me and Chad from saying 'I do'."

To continue the lightheartedness, Sami questioned, "So you have no secrets you're keeping from Chad?"

Will hesitated to answer, but he firmly stated, "No. Everything will be fine." He pulled his mother close once more and said, "I love you so much, mom."

A tear fell from each of Sami's eyes. "I love you, William Robert. I am so proud of the man you are."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Arriving to an airport near Chicago, Gustavo adamantly told Roman, "You must be careful because I am certain your family continues to search for you."

Roman wasn't worried though. "I talked to my contacts and checked in. We are good to go."

Gustavo led the way as he shared, "We must be cleared to fly as soon as possible. I already made the calls, but I am not sure they will go through due to some flooding in our final destination."

Showing great determination, Roman said, "We can't have any doubts or allow anything to get in the way. We know where Stefano is, and we will get the justice we deserve. I only wish I had realized sooner he was closer to home."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Back at Chad and Will's mansion, Carrie decided to check in with Eric, who decided to recheck his equipment outside while Jack and Nicole discussed how they planned to report on the wedding. When she asked about his life and Nicole, he told her, "Nicole has decided she wants to try finding a surrogate."

Noting Eric seemed happy but didn't show too much enthusiasm in what he shared, Carrie questioned, "Where do you stand on that?"

"I want what Nicole wants," he answered simply.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Carrie replied, "I don't doubt that, but I do wonder if you really want to go the surrogate route."

Eric couldn't let anyone doubt his commitment to Nicole, so he said, "It is what I want." Since it wasn't necessarily a lie, he managed to convince his sister that he was happy in this direction. Changing the subject, he questioned, "When is the last time you talked to dad?"

Carrie thought about Roman and how she asked Anna to look into his whereabouts. "It was a while back," she shared before admitting, "My mom is looking into his whereabouts even though she doesn't want anyone to know. She's even keeping Tony in the dark as well. He thinks she's house sitting for me while I'm here."

Surprised by what his sister shared, Eric knew Carrie told him this in confidence. "Does Anna still have feelings for dad?"

Carrie took a deep breath before responding. "I think my mom loves Tony, but she still cares about dad."

Before the conversation could continue, Austin walked over with Finn in his arms. "Finn wanted to see what his uncle was doing with all these cameras."

Carrie took Finn from Austin so he could see what Eric was doing. "Do you want to be a photographer like your uncle?"

As Finn responded, Austin saw Joselyn standing alone. He wondered if he should talk to his sister.

Joselyn debated coming to the wedding since she wasn't exactly close to the family in Salem. Things were just too awkward, but she wanted to push through it and show that she was here to stay even if her lies and deception on her true identity pushed them away. Inhaling, she studied the crowd for someone she could spark a conversation with, but someone was already approaching her.

"I know who you are," Julie stated as she disapprovingly pointed at Joselyn.

Confused, Joselyn replied, "Do I know you?"

Julie placed her hands on her hips and gave Joselyn a look of judgment. "My name is Julie Williams. I am Hope Brady's sister and let's just say I have a past with your sister." She didn't give Joselyn time to ask or say anything. "Why did you make Salem your home? Are you going to be just like Renée, a troublemaker?"

Joselyn gave Julie an unamused look because she knew who she was. Julie's son married Renée at the church she visited years back. "I think it's best we avoid each other. Nothing good can come from us interacting in any way."

Joselyn was set to walk away, but Julie called out to her. "Why are you even here? I heard from my sister that Chelsea stopped working at the hospital because she didn't want to work with you anymore."

Joselyn stopped in her tracks but didn't dare turn around. She took a deep breath before walking away.

Julie didn't know what to make of Renée's sister being in Salem and feared it would be bad for everyone involved.

As Joselyn walked past him, Ezra had his eye on Kristen and Brady. Since his parents weren't there, he considered checking in with his aunt, but after what she pulled the night before at The Chill, he kind of wanted to avoid her. He needed to find someone else to talk to. Fortunately, he spotted Kai and Brian and began to head their direction.

"You need to drop this now," Josh rushed Ezra suddenly.

Ezra was thrown at first but quickly realized why Josh approached him in this way. Lowering the volume of his voice, he spoke with intensity, "I already told you I am not the one sending you those text messages. What do I have to do to prove to you that it's not me?"

Josh shook his head because he did not trust Ezra even if he seemed genuine in his denial of guilt. Exhaling audibly, he replied, "There's nothing you really can do. You are the only one I know that knows about that damn video."

Ezra looked down wishing he could help Josh further than he already had. He previously carefully confronted his parents about it without giving them too much information, but neither seemed to know what he was talking about. "I told you before that I believe someone sent it to me hoping I would use it to keep you from marrying Abby. I don't know what else to do either."

Josh shook his head and struggled because he wanted this over. He didn't enjoy the position he was in and couldn't lose his wife or son because of a past mistake. "Fuck this… I still don't trust you, and I will get you somehow."

Before Josh could walk away, Ezra grabbed his arm to make him stop. "Wait." After Josh jerked his arm from his grasp, Ezra said, "If I tell you a dark secret of mine, will you trust me then? Will you believe me when I say I am not the one who is sending those texts and that I won't tell Abby about the video? You'll have something on me… I'm putting my trust in you."

Josh was skeptical. "How can I trust your secret isn't a lie?"

Ezra gave Josh a look of genuine shame. "I wouldn't lie about this."

Josh could see this was something big. "Fine."

Ezra cleared his throat and said, "Not here."

Standing next to her grandparents, Abby had witnessed the entire exchange between Ezra and Josh, though she did not hear anything they said. She wondered what just happened. Maybe Josh was really keeping something from her.

Since Theo was avoiding her, Celeste wrapped her magenta shawl over her shoulders and walked through the crowd hoping to get a vibe from those around her. The uncertainty still filled the air and she prayed she would get an answer soon. "There is a disquiet aura everywhere I turn," she said under her breath.

Suddenly, the intensity of apprehension increased. She turned her head in the direction she felt it coming and spotted Mayor White. Déjà vu hit. Remembering her run in with the mayor in the Horton Town Square, she approached Rachel. "Mayor White. I did not expect to see you here."

Rachel grew nervous due to Celeste's presence. "I've had a few interactions with Will Horton, so he invited me to the wedding. I feel very honored to be here."

Celeste continued to intently study the mayor. She remembered the vision she had years back that seemed to connect the mayor to Peter and Kristen Blake. "What are you hiding?"

The discomfort she felt only heightened. Rachel saw Joselyn and said, "I am not hiding anything, but I do need to check in about a project. If you'll excuse me…"

Rewrapping her shawl, Celeste shook her head. "There are too many secrets… too many puzzles…"

Making sure security was secure, Frank patrolled the front of the mansion outside while on the phone with the team he sent to New Orléans. "What's the latest? I haven't heard anything from you…"

"We are having issues getting back to Maison Blanche because a lot of the roads are closed," the man responded.

Frank did not like this. "Figure it out and get back to me when you are in place. It better not be too late because this wedding cannot be ruined."

Catching up with Frank, Chad ignored the fact that he was on the phone and requested, "Tell me what you have on Stefano."

Surprised Will hadn't told Chad anything, Frank studied their surroundings to make sure EJ and Sami weren't around. "I was able to uncover where Stefano has been hiding. He's been in New Orléans."

Knowing his brother most likely already knew this information, Chad wondered, "How did EJ respond to the news? What are his plans?"

Frank showed Chad a look of discomfort as he stated, "I can't tell you that much. You should talk to your brother."

Annoyed, Chad quickly decided, "It doesn't matter because there is something else I want you to do so that Stefano can never come home."

As Chad told Frank what he wanted him to do, Dario spied them talking together – though he could not hear what they were saying. Worried, he headed inside and climbed the stairs to talk to Will in his bedroom.

After checking in with Lucas and Sophie, Sonny spotted his parents across the way heading out to the backyard. He followed them to tell them he was taking a step back on finding out about Victor's health, but before he could reach them, he bumped into Kai. "Sorry…"

Though this was a bit awkward for him, Kai didn't let it get to him. "Is Will ready?"

Sonny quickly confirmed it before asking, "Did you come with Brian?"

Kai looked towards the house and shared, "Brian forgot the gift in the car and went to get it. How is life in Salem?"

Though he was curious to know why Kai didn't seem too bothered with him, Sonny did not broach the subject just yet. First, he answered, "Things are good here." Then he tried to apologize. "I am sorry for what happened – with my great-uncle moving you out of Salem that is."

Before Sonny could say more, Kai stopped him by putting his hand out. "There really is no point to it," he stated before walking away.

Feeling bad, Sonny watched as Kai went over to greet Brian, who had returned with the gift. He then turned around to see Brady staring at him. Brady clearly saw him talking to Kai.

As Sonny returned inside, Kristen sat alone waiting for Brady because he needed to make a call. She thought about Alessandro and how she still was unable to reach him. She hoped he simply just went into hiding.

Marlena followed Laura over to Kristen. She feared Laura would make a scene even if she was upset to see Kristen there as well. Before Jen's mother could say anything, Marlena quietly asked, "What are you doing here?"

Kristen looked up and calmly responded, "Chad invited me."

Laura tried her best to not let this ruin her mood. "Is Peter coming as well?"

Kristen smiled at both women. "Peter is staying home today."

Marlena placed her hand on Laura's back. "We should take our seats," she encouraged.

Laura gave Kristen a dirty look wishing she could tell her off, but she knew better. "No point in wasting time with this one," she stated before following Marlena to the front.

Kristen rolled her eyes and said under her breath, "Lucifer isn't enough to deal with… now I have Looney Laura."

Inside, Will opened his bedroom door and saw the look of urgency on Dario's face. "Dario… what's going on?"

Feeling on edge and thinking the worse, Dario couldn't figure out a better way to say this. "I believe something may be up with Stefano. I'm worried Chad may do something he will regret later." This was definitely going against what he and Sonny planned for Chad and Will today.

"I've already taken care of it," Will calmly stated. He had talked to Frank and EJ earlier and was completely focused on marrying Chad.

Dario wasn't able to stay calm. "What do you mean you've taken care of it?"

Will placed his hands on Dario's shoulders to get him to focus. "We're good, Dario. Chad and I appreciate everything you've done." With concern, he questioned, "Have you talked to Ignazio since last night?"

Dario closed his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I am trying so hard…"

"You don't have to apologize, Dario," Will interjected. He sighed and removed his hands. "I know this week has been full of surprises for all of us, but we can't let anticipation or fear get in the way of living our lives. We control what we can and move forward… always forward. Stefano or Ignazio cannot ruin this day for us whether they show up or not – not that I think they will."

Dario nodded his head. "This is our home – not theirs."


	48. We Could Be Interrupted

**Chap** **ter 48: We Could Be Interrupted** **–** **Saturday, September 17** **th** **, 2016**

 **I** nterrupted. Even with things in place, a well thought out plan never seems to work out as hoped. Outside forces don't like to be ignored. They crave attention and push until their thirst is quenched. But even at that point, the fulfillment of satisfaction is not ever lasting. A thirst for imposition always returns.

As the guests continued to head to the garden behind Chad and Will's mansion to take their seats for the ceremony, the wedding party met inside the large enclosed patio to get in the set order of their entrances. Lexie straightened Theo's royal blue tie as she checked in with him, "Did Chad tell you how this is supposed to go?" She asked since he didn't go into The Chill the night before for the rehearsal meeting.

Dejected, Theo sighed and nodded his head. He was trying to avoid thinking about Ciara. Realizing his mother was giving him a certain look, he knew she wanted to hear him speak the instructions given to him. "I'm supposed to walk you down the aisle outside and sit near Uncle EJ and Aunt Sami after helping Johnny and Julian hand the rings over to Dario and Sonny. I've got it covered, mom."

Lexie continued to study her son to make sure he was still up for this. "How are you feeling? Any…"

"Mom, I'm fine," Theo interjected. "Today will be fine."

Though she recognized her son wasn't exactly fine, Lexie backed off and tried to lighten up the mood so Theo would smile when they walked down the aisle. "So, are you saving any dances for Ciara at the reception?"

Theo's mood only worsened. "Ciara is just my friend – maybe," he released thinking about how she told his grandmother about his vision. He began to reflect on his grandfather and wondered when he would make his return to Salem.

Lexie got the hint that something happened between Theo and Ciara, but chose not to ask at this point because the ceremony was about to begin soon.

After getting in place with Chad in the back of the line near the rear staircase, Sonny shared, "Dario just replied and told me that he and Will should be on their way down."

With his thoughts on what he told Frank outside, Chad asked Sonny, "How are things going for you and Dario?"

Sonny tried to minimize his and Dario's issues. "We're okay, but we're putting stuff off until later." He was worried about Ignazio and how his return would impact the dynamics of their relationship.

Placing his hands in the pockets of his slacks, Chad showed some regret on his face. "I know me and Will leaving for two weeks doesn't help you two deal with Ignazio."

Sonny placed his hand on Chad's shoulder. "Don't think about that because you and Will are going on your honeymoon. Don't stress about what's happening here while you're gone."

After pulling his left hand out of his pocket, Chad rested it on Sonny's lower back. "Thanks. I really mean it. You and Dario have done so much for us to make sure Will and I don't feel too much stress."

Dario walked down the stairs, moved to Sonny's side and announced, "Will should be down soon."

As Dario and Sonny moved towards the center of the line, Chad looked to the rear stairs anticipating the moment when his fiancé would join them. When Will made it to the top of the winding staircase, he took a deep breath before taking the first step down. He lit up when he saw Chad was already waiting for him. Chad felt a peace come over once he locked eyes with Will. He continued to grin as Will joined him and the others. Neither said a word. They hadn't decided beforehand that this is what they would do. They just knew that they wanted to take in this moment and save whatever they wanted to say for the ceremony.

Sonny eyed Dario for a moment deciding he should check in with him. "Everything okay with Will?" He figured talking about Will instead of Ignazio was the way to go.

Dario smiled and simply nodded his head. He thought about how Sonny would return home tonight. "Do you have your things packed for when we leave later?"

Sonny noticed some anxiousness in Dario's tone. "It's all packed upstairs," he shared. "I missed you last night."

In all the chaos, Dario realized this was the first time he and Sonny acknowledged that they stayed in different places last night. He missed Sonny the night before as well, but he was used to it since they hardly slept in the same room anyway.

Dario was about to ask him if they were sharing a room tonight, but Sonny cut in, "We have guests staying in our home tonight. Do we need to stop by our place to make sure we're set on being great hosts?"

Dario mentally sighed realizing that the guests would get in the way of having any sort of serious talk with Sonny tonight. Maybe it was better that way. "I've got it covered," he replied.

When the music began to play, Sonny and Dario turned around so the wedding party could start their trek outside. This was it. The wedding ceremony had started.

Before he and his mother could step outside, Theo suddenly felt faint. Another vision came to him, and he had to grab hold of his mother to try to keep his balance. Lexie panicked and managed to hold her son before he lost consciousness and fell completely. "Theo!"

Nathan and Cameron helped Lexie by grabbing Theo and taking him to a nearby couch in Will's music room. Chad, Will, Dario, and Sonny made sure to help as well while EJ rushed outside to grab Daniel since he was Theo's doctor.

"What happened?" Cameron fearfully asked Lexie.

Lexie carefully sat next to Theo and subconsciously checked his vitals. "He was fine one moment and then he suddenly grabbed me to keep his balance." She remembered the look of dread on his face before he fainted. "Something is wrong."

EJ swiftly arrived with Daniel in tow and said, "Let Daniel look him over."

Lexie stood up and told Daniel, "His vitals seem fine, but I think he was about to have another… seizure." She was about to say vision but managed to stop herself before she did.

Before Daniel could even check his vitals for himself, Theo suddenly opened his eyes. He came to again, but he was in a daze. EJ looked to the others in the room and urged, "We should probably give the doctors space."

Chad led Will, Dario, and Sonny out of the room. He turned to the others and said, "I'll tell our guests what's going on, and we'll start the wedding when everything is in the clear."

"I can do that," Dario volunteered.

Coming out of his thoughts on Theo and what Chad and Celeste shared about him, Sonny said, "I can go with him."

"It's okay," Chad gratefully released. "I'll go out there." He secretly wanted some privacy so he could make a few calls.

As Chad left the enclosed patio, Gabi approached her brother, Sonny, and Will. "They kicked you out of the room. Is everything okay?"

Will grabbed the back of his head. He hated that this was happening to Lexie and her son. "Theo woke up and Daniel is checking him out now. Theo looked so out of it."

Having heard Will, Celeste walked past them to enter the room. She came inside after seeing EJ grab Daniel. Theo must have had another vision.

Dario noted that something seemed off about his sister with the way she was holding herself. This episode with Theo was impacting her in a weird way. "Who has Carter?"

"Andrew has him," Gabi shared wondering if she should go check on him. Trying to calm herself, she added, "I tried to give him to Manny and Ari but he really wanted to go to Andrew. They all sat together." She remembered the look Kim gave her when Andrew decided to sit with her siblings.

Continuing to study his sister, Dario placed his hand on her shoulder causing her to slightly jump. "Gabi, what's going on with you? Did something happen?"

Gabi glanced at Sonny and Will before turning to face her brother. All three were watching her intently. She didn't plan to tell anyone what happened before the wedding, but she admitted, "So I wasn't honest about how the meeting with T's parents went yesterday. I may lose Carter for good."

As Dario pulled Gabi into a hug, Will shook his head in disbelief. He began to wonder if everything would go to shit.

With the wedding halted, Chelsea decided to check in with Josh, who was standing to himself outside. "You seem distracted," she noted.

Even though he was thinking about who could be extorting him now that he trusted Ezra, Josh told his wife's friend, "I'm only trying to find something to drink for Abby."

Chelsea continued to study Josh as she complimented him. "You're a good husband. I think you're going to be a good dad. Abby is always praising the way you dote on her."

Revealing a bit of stress he was experiencing on his face, Josh replied, "I'm trying to make sure Abby is always happy." He showed more discomfort on his face as he clarified, "Not that Abby isn't a happy person."

"Relax," Chelsea smiled hoping to ease the awkwardness. "I just hope you're happy, too. You look rather stressed."

Josh decided to stop scanning the crowd. "I just want to get a drink for Abby." He excused himself and went inside.

Chelsea shook her head. "Something is definitely off about you."

Nearby, Kate stealthily approached Chad after he told the crowd the wedding would be delayed a bit. She found him with his phone in his hand. "Who are you calling?"

Chad stopped himself from pushing the call button. He turned around to reply. "I'm only checking to make sure Will and I are still good to go on heading out of Salem for our honeymoon."

A sudden feeling of nervousness came over Kate. "You and Will need to be careful because I wouldn't put it past Stefano to reach out to you during your honeymoon. You'll be vulnerable to him out of the country."

With confidence, Chad smirked as he replied, "Don't worry about it because Stefano won't be a problem."

Playing with her necklace, Kate reflected, "Things were so different when you and Will first got together. One of those being Stefano lived in Salem."

Ignoring Kate's mention of his biological father, Chad admitted, "You were truly a mother figure to me after my mom died."

Kate continued to run her fingers through her necklace, but then she stopped. "That was the only good thing that came out of my relationship with Stefano – getting to know you and helping you and Will find each other. Does any part of you wish Stefano could be at the wedding?"

Sighing, Chad shared, "Will asked me the same thing yesterday." To avoid answering, he genuinely stated, "You know, Will may have gotten some of his best qualities from you."

A surprised smile crept on Kate's face. "You may be the only one to think that," she admitted.

Chad pulled Kate into a hug surprising her again. "Thank you for pushing me always."

As soon as Chad made his announcement, JJ left his seat to avoid being bombarded by questions from different family members. He was starting to think his short release was a mistake even if he was happy for his cousin, Will.

Brandon came over and interrupted JJ's thoughts. "You alright?"

JJ only heard the question and was about to show his frustration, but when he looked Brandon in the face, a regretful expression covered his face instead. "I am sorry again for almost ruining your career."

To move past this, Brandon casually stated, "It all worked out in the end for the both of us, right?"

JJ tried to remain positive. "Things are going in the right direction, but they shouldn't have ever gone in this direction." Turning away, he noted Qamar and Jade were watching him. He smiled and waved at both before turning back to Brandon. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

Back inside, Marlena and Sami worked together to try to distract the other kids from what happened with Theo in the gallery. Marlena placed her hand on Johnny's back and asked, "So what's new with you, Johnny? How is Junior High treating you?" She couldn't help but note something was off with her daughter.

"It's alright," Johnny haphazardly answered. He was looking at his hair in the mirror because Sami made him comb it a certain way so it would look nicer. He wanted to shake all the product out of his hair.

Holding Julian, Sami leaned in and proudly shared, "Mom, you should see the new piece Johnny completed in his art class. It is amazing."

Marlena's eyes lit up. She began to rub Johnny's back as she encouraged, "If you keep it up, you will have art hanging everywhere around the world."

With a grin, Johnny forgot that he was annoyed with his hair and admitted, "That would be awesome."

Pulling on her mother's blue and purple dress, Sydney showed she wasn't into this conversation about Johnny's art. "Will Theo be okay? I heard Sophie talking to Lucas and Allie about seeing Theo have a seizure in her classroom." She really didn't like being distracted from important things.

Realizing this wasn't working for everyone, Sami squeezed her youngest daughter's hand gently and assured her, "Theo will be fine. We just need to make sure he's up to walking his mom down the aisle." She adjusted Julian on her waist as she searched for Allie to make sure she was okay with Lucas and Sophie. Spotting them, she noticed Allie was sitting on Sophie's lap playing with her hair. They were rather close.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Finding her husband alone in the study, Delphi slowly moved towards him. "Peter, did Kristen go to the wedding?" She had been in her room alone before deciding to search for Peter.

Annoyed, Peter complained, "Kristen gets a pass because she is Brady Black's date. He even came to pick her up." Peter wondered if he made a mistake in announcing Blake Inc. before the wedding.

Placing her hand on Peter's leg, Delphi knew he was upset and wanted to attend the wedding. "We can find something to wear and go if you want. I really don't see the harm in going since Kristen is there." If she was honest, she wanted to go for herself. She felt restless and didn't care if she pissed anyone off by her presence.

Peter took a moment to ponder his wife's suggestion and debated whether he wanted to crash the wedding. "I know I need to keep things as cordial as I can for a while with EJ and his family, but I am still part of the family even if EJ, his wife, and his siblings don't want me to be."

Delphi's phone interrupted Peter's internal debate when it began to ring. Taking her hand from her husband's leg, Delphi decided to take it out in the hall to give Peter some time to think alone. She wheeled herself out and answered on her Bluetooth.

Finding it strange that Delphi left the room to take the call, Peter questioned if it was one she was expecting. He grabbed his phone and decided to text his sister: "How is the wedding so far?"

Soon after, Kristen replied with: "Things are on hold atm. Something happened to Theo, but I am not sure what yet."

After reading Kristen's text, Peter placed his phone on his chin. He wondered if he should reach out to Lexie because she always seemed to be the more welcoming DiMera sibling. He replied to his sister: "I'm thinking about crashing the wedding." Resting his phone on the table, he realized he needed to be over bowing to the DiMera family.

Delphi entered the room again with some urgency. "I may have news on Alessandro."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Theo walked out of the room on his own bringing smiles to those who were waiting for news on him. "I am good to go," he announced hiding the fact that he was struggling with what he saw in his latest vision before he passed out. Moving closer to Will, he said, "You and Chad can get married now." He wanted to move past the experience as much as possible.

Daniel entered the enclosed patio next and said, "I'll tell the guests the wedding is going to start again."

Dario decided to follow Daniel out to tell Chad. Fortunately, he swiftly found his cousin with Kate. "Theo is good to go. We're ready to start," he enthusiastically announced.

When Chad eyed his phone again, Kate checked in with him. "Are you ready?"

"I am," he said before following Dario back inside.

As everyone began to get in place again in the patio, Sami went over to Will. "You okay?"

"I'm ready to do this," Will told his mom through a smile. His smile grew wider when he saw Chad enter their home again.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

When Maggie told Philip that his father decided not to attend the wedding, he headed to the Kiriakis mansion to check in with Victor. Finding him in the living room, Philip greeted him. "Dad…"

Not in the mood, Victor stood up from his chair and said, "I have something I need to take care of. You should go back to that sham of a wedding."

With a curious look, Philip disapprovingly said, "I hope you don't consider it a sham because two men are getting married."

Offended, Victor shot back, "It has nothing to do with homosexuality. I'm simply tired of the DiMera family."

Philip shook his head, "You've always been a grouch, but I can't help but notice you're more impatient and grumpier than usual. Tell me what's going on with you. Mom mentioned that I may want to check in with you when I talked to her last night."

"It's nothing," Victor claimed. He was annoyed that Kate said anything to their son, but he didn't dare show it.

Philip could tell there was something though because his father seemed rather annoyed by the fact that Kate told him anything. His father was trying to hide it though. "I know things aren't great between us since I left Titan in a bad place. I'm working for mom now. Is that why you're still pushing me out?"

Victor dismissed Philip once more. "I don't have much time, and I need to use it on something I know I can make progress on."

Completely hurt by what Victor just implied, Philip took a step back. "Well, I can see this was pointless. I wish I never came by at all."

Victor remained still until Philip was gone. He sighed in defeat. Too much damage had already been done.

Fortunately for Victor, a welcome distraction came when his phone began to ring. Answering, he said, "Yes?"

"Great-Uncle… I know where Stefano is. I just spotted Roman with some other guy and I overheard them talking about him. What do you want me to do?"

Victor made sure he was alone before saying, "I want you to keep your distance. Send me your location, so I can send some of my other men."

"Will do," Alex obliged.

Victor ended the call thinking about how Justin and Adrienne believed he told their oldest son that he wouldn't help him. To his parents, Alex was working for Adrienne at her restaurant and was only out of town for a small retreat, but the truth was, Alex worked for his great-uncle in secret and was out of town tracking Roman and Stefano.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

The ceremony began once more. _Arms_ by Christina Peri began to play, and Lexie in Theo's arm led the way. Walking in the center of the two columns of chairs, Lexie put on a happy face even though deep down her focus was on her son. She wanted to make sure he didn't have another episode. He said he was fine, but she was still worried that another vision would hit at any moment.

Theo tried to hide the fear of his experience and what he saw by smiling at the guests in their seats. Unfortunately, the visualization wouldn't leave no matter how hard he tried to continually erase it from his brain. He wanted to escape this, but he couldn't at the moment. He had a job to do. Helping his mother up the gazebo to where she would stand to perform the ceremony, he took a deep breath and headed around back to help Johnny with Julian.

Lucas led Sophie out next. He genuinely beamed since he was the proud father of one of the grooms. He looked at all the family that came to support his son and loved every minute of it. This was definitely a big day for everyone.

Sami and EJ walked out next. Even though his wife was very happy, EJ couldn't help but note there was some distance between them emotionally. Sami sensed EJ was trying to check in with her; she thought about Will's cell phone and what she found. She gave her husband a smile so he would look forward and let it go. They could deal with this later.

Once they arrived before the gazebo joining Lucas and Sophie, the four took their seats on the front row. EJ and Sami sat on the right column, while Lucas and Sophie sat on the left.

It was time for the Will and Chad's groomsmen and groomsmaids to walk down. Dario and Sonny led the charge as the best men. Both imagined walking down together for their own wedding in the future. Ignoring their personal relationship issues, they felt relieved there wasn't any big drama involving Chad and Will's wedding thus far and hoped their luck continued.

After Dario and Sonny took their place on each side of Lexie, Cameron led Gabi out next. Gabi looked to her son, Carter, and noted he seemed to be in a really good mood. Seeing the joy on his face, she tried not to focus on her meeting with Justin and T's parents the day before. She reminded herself of Justin's and Shawn's promises before noting how Andrew was watching her. She gave him a smile.

Cameron looked to Chelsea, who seemed distracted and wasn't watching him at all. His thoughts went to Ignazio showing up the night before and wondered if that was why she seemed off. He realized he was struggling with himself because usually he would just be forward and tell Chelsea what he noticed. Fortunately, he caught his mother's attempts at trying to make him smile. Realizing he was frowning because he was deep in his thoughts, he quickly fixed that in time to stand next to Dario. Gabi stood next to Sonny.

Nathan, who came out with Safiya, looked to Melanie as she held their daughter, while Safiya smiled and thought about the friends she made when she won that contest all those years ago. She was excited to be a part of their day and hoped their lives continued to go in this positive direction. Nathan stood next to Gabi, and Safiya stood next to Cameron.

Julian stood in the middle of Johnny and Theo. The guests all watched in delight as they walked down the center with the rings. Once they made it to the gazebo, Johnny gave his ring to Dario while Theo helped Julian give the ring he was holding to Sonny. After, the three sat on the same side as EJ and Sami.

Allie and Sydney came down next, but instead of going down the center, they walked down the outsides of the chairs. They dropped flower petals and met front and center before sitting with Lucas and Sophie. Sami continued to watch the closeness between Allie and her father's wife.

Finally, Chad and Will arrived outside the garden; the guests all stood up. They followed the path that Allie and Sydney set for them with their eyes forward. Both had huge smiles on their faces already, but when they turned the corner and faced each other, they lit up even more. Their gaze remained locked on the other until they met in the middle. Taking each other's hands, the music faded. The guests took their seats again. This was it.

"Welcome family, friends, guests…" Lexie looked the crowd over before giving her brother and his fiancé a warm smile. "Chad and Will have made the decision to get married and create a family together in this special place." Holding their key necklaces in her hands, she shared, "They are already home in their hearts, but now they want to make it official before your eyes and the eyes of this country."

Chad and Will continued to lovingly look into each other's eyes as they held hands.

Lexie cleared her throat and stated, "Before we continue the ceremony, I do have to ask a traditional question." Looking towards the guests once more, she good-humoredly stated, "If anyone thinks that Chad and Will should not get married they should speak now or forever hold their peace."

Chad and Will playfully turned towards the audience believing no one would object, but suddenly someone arrived, stepped forward, and said, "I do."

Everyone in the attendance turned back towards the person who spoke; they looked on in complete shock to see someone they all thought had died.

Gabi's face turned white as she immediately fainted. Nathan and Sonny quickly reacted and caught her before she fell completely. Chad and Will continued to look on in shock at the uninvited guest who interrupted their wedding.


	49. We Could Be Living

**Chapter 49: We Could Be Living – Saturday, September 17th, 2016**

 **L** iving. Back from the dead, Renée arrived to Chad and Will's wedding surprising everyone inside the mansion. With a mischievous smile, she took in the moment before announcing, "Yes, it is I, Renée DuMonde DiMera. I have come back to life!"

 _Coming_ out of her day-dream, Renée shook her head thinking about the fun she could have had today. In reality, she was at the dreadful airport with her apathetic son. They were waiting at the gate before boarding their plane. She took a deep breath and told herself she would get her big moment again later. It would be at a time when she felt more secure in revealing she was still alive.

Marco's eyes focused on his cell phone's screen as he looked at a few pictures he took with Arianna over the years. He stopped at one they took the last time they went skydiving and smiled. Hating that he was already leaving Salem again, he decided to send Arianna a text. It read: "I'm about to leave Salem. I'll call you once I reach my destination. 3" He returned to the photo wishing he was with Arianna now.

Renée noted what Marco was doing. Placing her hand on his arm, she said, "I promise you, son, we will get back to our normal lives in Salem again soon." By normal, she meant the extravagant life she had before André took it away.

Marco turned to his mom with a knowing look. "Our lives won't be normal again. No one's life will be."

* * *

 _Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

The night before, Marco told his mother he needed to check on something before walking outside of her home. EJ was waiting for him, and he decided he needed to take care of this before Renée saw him. Crossing the street, Marco placed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and waited.

EJ scratched the bottom of his chin as he studied Marco. "I'm surprised to see you in Salem. Is it temporary?"

"I owe you no answers," Marco firmly responded.

EJ didn't care that Marco chose to resist answering his question and asked another. "Did you find what you were looking for outside of Salem?"

Marco chose not to answer once more. Instead, he directly asked, "What are you doing here, EJ?"

Dropping his hand from his face, EJ decided to avoid a simple answer. "You resigned from your post over two years ago. Since then, I have realized what you meant when you told me I was keeping you from having a family of your own. I know about Azzura and the baby…"

"I don't want to hear it," Marco interrupted. He didn't have time for this. "Why are you here?" he repeated.

"I want to know if my father sent you here – back to Salem."

Marco scoffed at EJ. He was so glad he did not have to call him boss anymore. "I have had no contact with Stefano. I don't work for your family anymore, remember?"

EJ was surprised to hear Marco say Stefano's first name. Something had definitely changed. When Marco turned around to leave, he asked, "Where are you going?"

"I need to pack."

"You're leaving Salem already?"

Marco continued to walk away as he shared, "Don't worry. I will be back."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Saturday, September 17th, 2016_

* * *

As Cameron and Craig Wesley hurried over to help Nathan and Sonny with Gabi, Chad and Will rushed closer to T to make sure they were seeing correctly. T smiled seeing Chad and Will again and noted their hesitation. "It's me guys… the President of the Chill Fan Club."

Hearing T's voice, Will wrapped his arms around his oldest friend and said, "It's so good to see you, T. It's so good to see you alive."

T held Will for a moment as he smiled at Chad. "I'm sorry for interrupting your wedding, but I heard you two were getting married. I had to stop by as soon as I landed in Salem."

Finally letting go of T, Will asked, "Does your family know you're alive?" This was definitely the best wedding interruption he could have asked for.

As Sami and Lucas walked over, T denied it. "It's a long story, so you two should get married. We can catch up after."

Chad went over and gave T a hug finally and agreed. "Of course. I can't wait to hear about everything." Deep down, he remembered Stefano promising a gift at their wedding. A part of him wondered if T was that gift because he questioned how T knew their wedding would be here.

After Gabi came to, Andrew and her family surrounded her. Dario thought about the news Gabi shared with him, Will, and Sonny when Theo was in the music room. He knew she was in complete shock.

Noting how she was eyeing T, Andrew checked in. "How are you feeling?"

Watching as T walked over to take a seat next to Lucas and Sophie, Gabi answered, "I'm fine." She turned to Carter as a realization came over her. "I'm fine," she repeated before explaining, "I just got a bit light-headed."

Manny and Arianna helped Gabi stand up again. "Do you want to sit down with us?" Manny questioned.

Gabi looked herself over and said, "I'm good to stand. I'm fine."

Arianna placed her hand on Gabi's back trying to make sure she was truly okay. "I understand you must have a lot of questions for T."

As Andrew tried to figure out what Arianna meant, Jeannie picked up the concern her brother had for Gabi. She could tell that something happened between Gabi and Andrew.

Gabi rubbed her head. "That can wait until later." Noting that Chad and Will had walked over now, she gave them a smile and said, "I'm fine. You two should get married. It's been a long day already."

As everyone got into place once again, Theo took his seat next to Johnny after making eye contact with his grandmother, Celeste. He remembered his recent vision and turned around to look at Ciara, who had watched him closely since he walked his mother down the aisle. It sucked that he couldn't talk to her about what he saw.

Theo turned back around to see Chad and Will were in place. Looking down, he began to mentally dissect his vision. In it, he saw his grandfather, Stefano, bleeding out in a chair. He heard a voice say, "It's the end of an era." Next to Stefano's body on the floor, there was a sharp tool of some kind with the Phoenix symbol on it.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Climbing down a rusted but cold ladder, Roman and Gustavo managed to sneak into the secret underground dungeon of Maison Blanche where Stefano supposedly was. The place had an eerie feeling that filled the air and had the scent of an old fire place that had rotted. Getting a bad feeling, Roman softly mentioned, "It is too quiet."

Gustavo simply nodded his head to keep verbal communication limited in case someone was close. He took in their murky surroundings as he began to reflect on how he dreamed of this moment for so long. The betrayal he experienced at the hands of Stefano and his brothers was about to be returned tenfold.

Turning to Roman, Gustavo was glad he reached out to the Salemite who had experienced almost the same amount of excruciating torture as he had. Together, they managed to track down the evilest man living on the planet.

From Germany, Egypt, Greece, and everywhere in between to his final destination in New Orléans, Roman reflected over his journey in finding Stefano and stopping his reign of terror permanently. Though he had bonded and learned to trust Gustavo in some ways – both had been taken hostage by Stefano while their families were told they were dead, Roman still kept his eyes on Maddalena's husband. He had learned to never trust anyone who wasn't family over the years.

Coming onto a fork, Gustavo suggested, "We should split up. We will find each other if either one of us discovers Stefano."

Agreeing to Gustavo's plan, Roman nodded his head and said, "Be careful." After Gustavo headed to the left, Roman walked slowly down the other way. Coming across the cell that once contained Alessandro, he noted how dark the place suddenly became. His eyes had to adjust to the darkness that seemed to increase as he moved forward. The humidity seemed to increase as well. "I wonder if someone was held prisoner here a while back," he whispered to himself.

Roman pulled out a small flashlight from his pocket. He knew he needed to be very careful with it, but he also wanted to make sure he didn't run into anything blind. After turning on the flashlight, he noted there was a buzzing over his head next to the cell. Flashing the light to the ceiling, he noted a security camera pointed to the cell. "Someone was definitely watching whoever was in there before." Heading down a hall, he realized there was a light up ahead. He turned off his flashlight and really hoped someone didn't tip-off Stefano before he and Gustavo arrived.

Meanwhile, Gustavo continued to walk until he came across what appeared to be a science lab. He noted a purple powdered substance on the table next to a pad of paper, which had different symbols written down. "What happened here?" He recognized there was no dust in the place so someone was definitely here recently, but whoever it was, was no longer here. In fact, things were a bit messy because someone was in a hurry to get as much stuff out of there as possible.

"It would be unfortunate if someone informed Stefano of our arrival," Gustavo said under his breath, but he realized someone could be hiding – waiting to jump out at the right time. Finding a glass filled with a strange purple liquid, he picked it up and sniffed it before taking a little sip. It was still kind of warm. He really didn't understand what was happening here.

Noticing a small closet in the corner, Gustavo's hypothesis that someone could be hiding returned to the forefront of his mind. The door was closed, so he carefully tiptoed towards it. He took a deep breath and prepared himself before opening it.

No one was inside. Peering into the closet, Gustavo realized it wasn't really a closet because there was a small bed inside. Next to it, some medical equipment stood including an IV stand. "Someone was medically treated in this room…"

After stepping out of the tiny medical room, Gustavo noted a hall nearby. Deciding to move forward, he wondered if he would find answers to his questions eventually. Slowly making his way, he entered a room only to find Roman standing towards the back completely frozen. It was clear Roman had come onto something.

Edging closer, Gustavo anxiously asked, "What did you find?"

Roman turned to Gustavo and disappointingly claimed, "It's over."

Gustavo looked past Roman and saw Stefano's dead body with blood everywhere. There was a shank with the Phoenix symbol on it next to the evil bastard's body.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Philip arrived in time for the ceremony to begin once more. As he took a seat next to Rex and Cassie, Lexie stood in the gazebo and made sure things had mostly settled before starting things again. Checking on Chad and Will, she noted they were beaming about this day even more due to the welcome surprise of T's being alive. She returned her focus onto the guests as she said, "Chad and Will asked me to share a bit of their story – how they found love with each other."

When things got quiet once more, Lexie continued, "Will and Chad's story began completely different with how you see them now. In fact, Chad and Will did not like each other when they first met due to something they thought they both wanted. Eventually, getting past the obstacle, they managed to become fast friends learning they really did enjoy spending time with one another. They enjoyed each other's company so much that they eventually began to light up at even the tiniest mention of the other."

While Lexie continued, Kristen was panicking internally because she feared Peter would come and crash the wedding next. She knew that his presence would not bring the same smiles as Will's friend's interruption. Noting that Brady's eyes were forward and focused, Kristen carefully pulled out her cell phone and began to secretly text her brother. She wanted Peter to check in with her to share what he was thinking.

After Kristen pushed send, Brady noted his girlfriend continued to check her phone screen as she waited for Peter to respond. Leaning in, he whispered, "Everything okay?"

Kristen quickly put her phone away. "Things are good," she whispered back.

"Chad and Will knew their feelings were more than a friendship love but did not at the same time," Lexie went on. "They feared what it meant because of how certain expressions of love hadn't been normalized, especially in Salem. But even through all the confusion, they managed to realize how strong their feelings were for each other. They fought off the voices that told them it was wrong because they realized love is love and there is nothing wrong with that. They realized if they denied what they felt, they wouldn't be living."

Chad and Will continued to look into each other's eyes as they reflected on everything they had been through to stand here today. Their journey had been tough, but it was definitely worth it.

Though he enjoyed watching his sister officiate their brother's wedding, EJ couldn't help but glance at his wife from time to time. He knew something was off even if Sami gave him a smile earlier. Returning his attention to the front, he told himself he would have to check in with her later – after the wedding.

With her eyes on her brother and Will, Lexie directed, "Chad and Will. Please face me." When they did, she gave them a curious smile as she questioned, "Do you remember the first time you allowed yourself to admit you loved the other? Do you remember what you were wearing, where you were, what was happening around you?"

After a short moment, Chad and Will nodded their heads.

Lexie then asked, "Did you think then it would lead to this moment here before everyone – committing your lives to loving each other always and through every struggle and high moment?"

As Will and Chad lovingly smiled at each other, Lexie grinned as she directed, "You can face each other again because I know you want to. Take each other's hands once more…" She noted they had already done so, so she commented on it. "I guess I really didn't need to tell you to do that. You two are naturals at getting married."

As the guests chuckled, Sami wiped the tears from her eyes. She breathed deeply because she felt so blessed to be able to see this day for someone who deserved it so much. She put Will through hell as they both grew up together. How did she get so lucky to have such a wonderful son?

After the laughter died down, Lexie confidently stated, "These are the hands of your best friend, strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it, support and encouragement to pursue your dreams, and comfort in difficult times. And lastly, these are the hands that even years from now will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just one touch. These hands are your home."

Chad and Will studied their hands and how they interlocked with each other. They were tearing up at this point.

"It's time for your vows," Lexie announced after a moment of silence. "Will, you may begin."

Will cleared his throat before looking directly into Chad's handsome eyes. "A while back, I was going through some of your things and found a small journal that contained your plan to win my heart again," he admitted. "As much as I fought you and pushed you out when you returned to me, my heart always belonged to you because this was the life I always wanted… the life I always dreamed of but never thought possible. I feel so extremely blessed to have this privilege to live the life I have with the most handsome man in the world… the most caring, energetic, driven, courageous, encouraging, protective and cheesiest man… who also happens to be the best cuddler in the universe. We don't call you Cuddles for nothing."

Smiling with Chad, Will finished his vows. "I love you deeply with all my heart and soul and even in death, I know our love will never cease. I am your home."

When Will gave her a quick glance, Lexie turned to her baby brother, wiped a tear from her face, and gave him the go ahead to start his vows.

Continuing to stare into Will's eyes, Chad grinned. "When I started thinking about my vows, I tried to come up with the corniest thing I could say up here. I watched different black and white movies. I even looked at Taylor West lyrics. Thankfully for all of you and Will especially, I came to my senses and remembered that the only inspiration I truly need are these beautiful blue eyes in front of me." He bit his lip before checking in, "How was that Will? Did that work for you?"

Will laughed and released, "Wow… real smooth…"

As the guests reacted with warm and adoring laughs, Chad became serious as he continued, "Will, you are the most beautiful song I have ever heard. How you love and how you treat others no matter who they are and what they have done is something I will always appreciate and aspire to. Your patience and strength are inspiring, and I am so lucky to have the best husband anyone could ask for because I know I will be able to hold your hand through everything in life whether it's easy or difficult. I hope you know I will do the same for you. I love you deeply and want to grow with you forever. I am your home."

Knowing they had finished, Lexie gave them a nod. "Thank you both." She looked ahead to continue the ceremony and noted Theo was sitting quietly and to himself. She thought about Abe as she spoke, "Rings are a symbol of commitment and love. Rings are circular like our love, with no beginning and no end. They represent what has been and what will always be. They are made of solid, sturdy material which is meant to survive years of hand-holding, performing, swimming, camping, tender caresses, and… cuddling. Couples wear their wedding rings every day as a symbol of their love."

Turning her head to Dario and then to Sonny, she requested, "May we have the rings." After Dario and Sonny handed the gold rings to Chad and Will respectively, Lexie directed, "Please repeat after me."

Placing his ring for his love on Chad's left hand, Will followed Lexie's prompts and cheerfully stated, "I love you, Chad… My heart is in this ring… My love is in this ring… I promise to be your faithful husband… to love you through the best and worst… through the difficult and the easy… I promise you my unconditional love… and I give you my unwavering trust… When you look at this ring… remember that I love you always."

Placing his ring for his love on Will's left hand, Chad followed his sister's prompts and excitedly stated, "I love you, Will… My heart is in this ring… My love is in this ring… I promise to be your faithful husband… to love you through the best and worst… through the difficult and the easy… I promise you my unconditional love… and I give you my unwavering trust… When you look at this ring… remember that I love you always."

With the rings exchanged, Lexie knew it was time to complete the ceremony. Elated, she shared, "It has been an honor to be the officiate of your wedding today. By the power vested in me by the State, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your husband."

Chad and Will didn't waste time and moved in to kiss each other. As they held each other's heads, the guests responded with supportive awes and applause. Sami took EJ's hand and leaned in as she wiped her face from all the tears.

After Chad and Will separated, Lexie had them turn around to face their guests. She pronounced, "Please give your congratulations to Will and Chad Horton."

As the guests stood up and clapped, Chad and Will turned to each other and kissed once more. _Take Me Home_ by Pentatonix began to play to cue the recessional.


	50. We Could Be Love

**Chapter 50: We Could Be Love – Saturday, September 17th, 2016**

 **L** ove. It is all we need. It is life. It is inspiration. It is growth. It is. Love is.

With the ceremony over, Lexie announced that the reception was inside and that Chad and Will planned to take photos with the wedding party and family members. As the other guests began to head inside, Will quickly rushed over and grabbed T before he could follow them. "I want you to be in the pictures as well." He was over the moon about being Chad's husband and felt even happier to have his childhood friend alive and there to witness it.

Pulling Will into a hug, T ecstatically replied, "I'd love to be in the pictures as well, but I'm not really dressed for it."

"I don't care," Will pressed.

Joining them, Safiya patted Will on the back as he separated from T. "I loved your Cuddles shout out in your vows. I would have laughed in front of everyone if I wasn't crying."

Will gave Safiya a hug next and grinned. "Safiya, this is T. T, this is Safiya."

Since she was in the wedding party, Gabi watched the three from a safe enough distance and wondered what T's being alive meant. "This could change everything for better or for worse." Turning around, she caught Frank eyeing T as well. She questioned what he thought about this miraculous return before reverting her attention back to T, who saw her but did not seem fazed by her presence whatsoever.

Before Gabi could continue processing T's existence and coldness towards her, Andrew walked over with Carter. He had caught up on who T was and mentioned, "We were at his gravestone earlier this week and it turns out he's alive."

Gabi took Carter from Andrew and wasn't sure how to respond. She was dumbfounded, but she also didn't want to say too much in front of her son. Carter was still young, but this would confuse him.

Jeannie came over with Greys and interjected, "What are you two whispering about over here? Did you two botch the menu? Please tell me something interesting will actually happen at this wedding."

Andrew gave his sister an annoyed look before taking Carter from Gabi once more since she had to take a few pictures with Will, Chad, Safiya, Nathan, Cameron, Sonny, and Dario. Before Jeannie could say anything else, he suggested, "We should find our parents so we can be ready for our turn to take a family photo."

Jeannie looked her older brother up and down before wondering, "Is that little brat going to be in our family photo?"

Andrew chose not to respond.

Waiting for their turn to take pictures with Will and Chad, Sami began to remember what she saw in Will's phone earlier. She leaned into her husband grabbing his attention. "EJ, we need to talk later," she whispered in his ear.

Noting the intense look in his wife's concerned eyes, EJ knew it was something important and realized he was correct when he caught on that something was off about her. "What is it? Let's talk now?"

Sami simply patted his muscular arm and maintained, "Later." After they were asked to come forward, she gathered the kids together and headed toward the gazebo where Chad and Will stood. She handed Will his phone.

"I forgot you had my cell the entire time," Will said not thinking anything of it. He was tempted to check the screen to see if he had any missed phone calls or texts, but he decided he should simply enjoy his day. After placing his phone in his pocket, he gave Chad another kiss before posing with his siblings, mother, and EJ.

Since Philip returned when the wedding began again, Kate attempted to check in with her son about Victor. "So, did you and your father talk about anything?" Her ex-husband's offer plagued her mind and she knew it wouldn't be long before he asked for her final answer.

"There's nothing to say really," Philip released while avoiding eye contact.

Kate could tell by his body language alone that things did not go well. "Everything will work out in the end," she tried to remain positive.

Feeling distressed, Philip complained, "I'm not sure how much longer I will work for you. I still feel lost in what I want from life."

Rex and Cassie joined them in time to hear the last few words out of Philip's mouth. To keep the conversation from remaining on Philip, Kate questioned the twins, "Do you two want to work for me?"

Cassie gave Kate an annoyed look – though she wasn't particularly annoyed with her mother. "Boundaries are very important to me, and I don't like to work with family – at least not in a long-term capacity."

Rex tried to ignore Cassie's dig at him and answered, "I'm already working for someone."

Kate gave Rex an inquisitive glare. "Who are you working for?"

Sitting by themselves, Brady took Kristen's hand and hailed, "It was awesome seeing Chad and Will up there."

Kristen agreed and thought about Ezra, who she spotted during the wedding. She wondered why he decided not to sit with her and Brady and hadn't stopped by to say hello. Her thoughts went to Peter and how he never got back to her about whether he was going to crash the wedding or not. Fortunately, she received a text from her brother; he decided he would stay home for now.

Relieved Kristen put her phone away before noting Brady had an unpleasant look on his face. "Did something happen?"

"My dad and Marlena keep looking over here," Brady disclosed.

"It's a plus that Victor didn't show," Kristen stated noting that her comment didn't particularly help Brady's mood. She clutched his hand and reminded him, "Our relationship is not about them.". She tried to keep him distracted and figured it would be best if she did not tell him how she was confronted by Marlena and Laura before the wedding. "Sometimes I think about having a wedding as beautiful as today's wedding."

Brady smiled. "Oh yeah?"

Kristen nodded her head as she imagined a successful wedding with Brady. "I picture walking down the aisle… maybe Peter walks me down or maybe I just walk alone. All that matters is that we're happy. We have everything we always wanted."

Brady's thoughts went to his grandfather and Titan. Sighing, he released, "I'm worried Victor is keeping me in the dark about something."

Kristen squeezed his hand to relieve his stress. "Don't worry because Victor knows he can't get rid of his grandson if wants Titan to survive."

Taking a deep breath, Brady replied, "I just need to keep waiting for my moment to take control of Titan and bring it back to its former glory."

To show her commitment, Kristen affirmed, "I promise to have your back even if I have my own business to run." She spotted Jennifer with her mother and Abby; she wished she and Jen could be best friends again. She realized she may need a friend or two if she married Brady one day.

As Lexie watched Theo take pictures with his cousins, Celeste approached her daughter to discuss her grandson. "Has Theodore mentioned anything concerning his fainting spell earlier?"

Lexie rapidly refuted it. "I don't think he will either – at least not today due to the wedding." She noted Ciara was by herself and remembered how awkward Theo became when she asked if he would dance with his friend today. "I wonder if something happened between Ciara and Theo," she said more to herself.

Hearing her daughter, Celeste revealed, "Ciara told me that Theodore saw your father in his vision at school. It is possible Theodore discovered this."

Lexie immediately turned to her mother because this was the first she heard any detail of the vision that sent her son to the hospital. "Is Stefano returning to Salem?"

"I'm uncertain," Celeste admitted. "I hope to unveil the answer soon. Although, Theo may already know but he may not want to admit it." She turned her focus on her grandson now and noted he was done taking pictures with his cousins, Chad, and Will now that it was the grandparents turn to take photos. Theo took a seat by himself.

While posing with John, Marlena, Kate, Caroline, Bill, and Laura, Will saw past the awkwardness of taking pictures with so much complicated history and focused on Chad. His husband was smiling, but Will couldn't help feeling bad that Chad didn't have grandparents to take pictures with. In fact, most of the wedding guests were from his side of the family. Even though they discussed it months before, he wondered if he should have pushed Chad to invite his other DiMera relatives since he wasn't aware of any of his mother's side of the family.

"Hey Will," Eric caught his nephew's attention. "I need you to stop focusing on your husband for just a little while longer and look at the camera," he teased.

Will turned towards his uncle and smiled while Chad affectionately held his hand.

Now that he was sitting alone, Ciara tried to approach her best friend once more. "Carver…"

Theo didn't want to talk.

Moving closer, Ciara attempted random conversation – like nothing had happened. "I hope they have raisin oatmeal cookies inside…"

Theo still didn't respond.

Ciara hated this and felt awful for hurting Theo. She wished she could just fix this and take back revealing what he saw to Celeste.

Ciara silently stood there a moment longer when Lexie approached them. After giving Ciara a smile, Lexie placed her hand on Theo's back to get him to stand. "It's time for us to take a family photo with Cameron, your grandmother, Chad, and Will."

Theo reluctantly followed his mother and when he stood next to Celeste, he ignored her as best he could. He tensed up though as the same uncertainty that filled Celeste found its way into him. His latest vision reentered his mind. Blood covered Stefano's body. Someone stabbed him. Who did it?

When prompted by Eric, Cameron placed his hand on Theo's shoulder. Theo flinched and came out of his thoughts. He forced a smile to get these pictures over with.

When the time came for Eric and Nicole to pose for pictures, Abby stepped in and took Eric's camera. First, it was a photo of all the aunts and uncles on Will's side – not that any of Chad's attended the wedding. As they figured out their positions, Carrie gently grabbed Nicole's arm to say something. "Congrats. I hope you and Eric can find a great surrogate to carry your baby."

Nicole smirked at Carrie and tipped her head, but internally she was surprised her sister-in-law knew because she and Eric were going to make an announcement when it was more official. She looked to Eric and questioned who else he told and then remembered how Brady knew about her taking her name off the foster parent list.

Standing behind Abby, T watched as Will and Chad continued to take pictures. He was happy for them and did not want to take away from their day. He considered leaving, but then he thought about his parents.

Sonny approached T and massaged his shoulder with his right hand. "It really is great that you're alive and well."

"Well, I'm happy to be alive," T lightheartedly commented before showing some seriousness on his face. "…but now I have to deal with returning to Salem. I'm not sure if I'm ready to deal with all that." He clearly felt overwhelmed all of a sudden.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Taking in Stefano's death, Gustavo quickly became angry and turned on Roman. "What have you done?" he demanded to know, but he did not give Roman the chance to respond because he suddenly lunged at him. "We agreed we would do this together!"

Reacting quickly, Roman held Gustavo off and shouted, "I did not do this! I found Stefano this way! Someone beat us to it!"

Gustavo pulled back and could see he let his frustration get the better of him. He dusted himself off and adjusted the sleeves of his shirt. "I apologize. I have waited and craved this moment for so long."

With an understanding look, Roman said, "Don't worry. No one understands more than I do. There was so much I wanted to say before taking Stefano out… with you." He thought of the last time he saw Stefano alive at the bogus funeral in Italy; he became too worked up to stand against his nemesis. He truly wished he hadn't left then.

Shaking his head, Gustavo wondered, "Who killed Stefano?"

Roman moved around the underground room searching for clues. "This definitely seems off," he admitted as he calmed down from the initial shock. "I doubt Stefano was here alone. Where did everyone else go? Where are his guards? Where are his workers?"

"It's possible someone from the inside killed him," Gustavo suggested as he rolled his shoulders.

Continually searching their dismal surroundings, Roman replied, "I'm not sure, but I have a feeling this could mean more trouble for us."

"That does not sound promising," Gustavo admitted. He needed this to be over.

Returning to Stefano's body, Roman nodded his head but held, "We need to keep our composure, but I think we can at least be sure that this is Stefano's dead body before us. We will run tests and cover every step so that it can be one hundred percent confirmed."

Gustavo spit on Stefano's dead face and said, "Good riddance."

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

During the reception, which was held in the ballroom inside Chad and Will's mansion, JJ hung out with Jade and Qamar. He was happy to be with his friends, but a part of him felt miserable because he knew his time on the outside was coming to an end. He wanted to go back into rehab, but he also didn't at the same time. This in between was a bit too stressful for him at the moment.

Jade noticed JJ was in his thoughts and tried to grab his attention by playfully pushing him. "Where are you, JJ?"

JJ tried to play it off. "I'm here… at this dry wedding reception." When he entered the ballroom, he quickly noted Chad and Will weren't serving any type of alcoholic beverage and wondered if they chose to do so because of his presence. A part of him wondered if his life would be like this once he was permanently discharged from rehab.

Aware of JJ's dilemma, Qamar encouragingly patted JJ on the back to show he was there for him. "It sucks that you're going back so soon, but we should enjoy the time we have left before then."

JJ agreed with Qamar and grinned. "You're right, Q. It won't be long until I'm out for good and get to hang with you whenever I want." Even if people got awkward around him, he hoped his friendship with Qamar did not change.

It was great to see JJ smile again. Qamar surely missed it. "That's definitely something I look forward to," he said noting JJ's smile had suddenly faded. Turning to see who JJ was gazing at, he realized someone he knew was approaching them. "Joy Wesley. I knew I saw you in the crowd."

Joy gave Qamar a hug. "There's no way I'd miss the wedding of the century. This mansion is stunning … I mean… wow!"

Surprised by the turn of events, JJ stepped forward and asked, "Who's your friend, Q?" He remembered the first time he saw Joy standing on the beach with Chloe before realizing Qamar said her last name.

As Jade noted the way JJ looked at Joy, Qamar introduced Joy and JJ to each other. "Joy goes to school with me at Salem U."

JJ shook Joy's hand and said, "You look very familiar."

Joy smiled at JJ and said, "You probably know my sister, Chloe. People say we look alike. Are you new in town?" Joy knew who JJ was because Qamar talked about him a lot, but she purposely asked the question so it wasn't so obvious.

JJ grew nervous having to answer Joy's question because he was embarrassed by the truth. Fortunately for him, Lucas grabbed everyone's attention because Chad and Will were about to enter the room. "May I proudly introduce once again Will and Chad Horton."

As the guests cheered, Chad and Will entered the ballroom from the back-corner entrance. _Light Up the Sky_ by Christina Aguilera began to play through the speakers strategically placed in the room. It was time for their first dance as a married couple.

In the middle of the room, Chad and Will held onto each other and danced to the song. "This is definitely the best day of my life."

Will blushed as he deeply surveyed Chad's gorgeous eyes. "I can't believe everything that has happened today. I'm glad Theo is okay, and then T being alive… We got married today, Chad. You and me… we're officially starting our family together."

Chad kissed Will because this was such a special day for them. "We're going to do this all together. No one will get in our way."

Keeping on beat with the music, Will felt his neck realizing something. "Does your sister still have our necklaces?"

Chad almost laughed because he felt the same fear earlier when he realized that he didn't have his key necklace around his neck either. "She gave them to Dario to hold for now. We'll get them before we leave for the hotel tonight."

Will leaned his head on Chad's shoulder and pulled him closer. "I can't wait for our honeymoon, but at the same time I want to enjoy our reception. We definitely deserve to celebrate, Chad Horton." He could hardly believe saying Chad's new last name out loud. He loved it so much.

Chad rested his head on top of Will's. "We'll enjoy our families' company now."

With a camera in her hand, Nicole took a break from pictures to admire Eric at work. He was so focused on capturing this moment between Chad and Will on video. He was alive. He was involved. He was Eric. Nicole desperately wished she hadn't tainted the man she loved with her darkness. She prayed a baby would save them both.

Tapping her shoulder, Jack interrupted Nicole's inner dialogue and commented, "This is good stuff."

Nicole swiftly wiped the water forming from her eyes before Jack could notice. She took another quick photo and turned to Jack. "They really do make a handsome couple."

Since he was focused on Will and Chad, Jack didn't notice the wetness under Nicole's eyes. "I'll work on some editing and check in with you later so we can formulate what we want to say during tonight's broadcast. We should probably check in with Will and Chad to make sure they're happy, too." He walked off leaving Nicole to take more photos.

With Claire behind them, Shawn and Belle checked in with Rex and Cassie. "Are we still on for breakfast… brunch tomorrow?"

"Brunch it is," Rex confirmed. "Where should we meet?"

Suddenly, Claire rushed between her parents and headed towards the drinks. "Excuse me," Belle released to go after her.

"I should help Belle," Shawn decided. "We have all night to iron out the details."

With Shawn, Belle, and Claire out of ear shot, Cassie stated, "I hope Claire keeps them busy so we don't make official plans."

Rex gave his sister a look of impatience. "What is your deal because I know you don't really hate Belle and Shawn this much?"

Cassie placed her hands on her hips. "I don't," she confirmed. "…but they are connected to Mimi, and she is who I want to keep away."

Sighing, Rex maintained, "You have nothing to worry about."

Lexie and EJ joined Rex and Cassie. "What is Cassie worried about?"

Cassie dropped her hands to her sides. "Nothing," she answered. "I know you two want to talk business with my brother, so I'll leave my brother and his lack of boundaries to you." She took a deep breath realizing she should be having fun. This was her nephew's wedding.

After Cassie walked off, Rex moved past his twin's sour attitude. "Are we still set to move forward on the project?"

EJ confirmed it before sharing, "We wanted to talk to you about it in person and are here now finally after a hectic week."

Rex gave Lexie and EJ a sympathetic look. "I understand. I'm glad I'm a part of DiMera Enterprises – especially now that it's one hundred percent legitimate."

With a look of caution, Lexie retorted, "We are still keeping our eyes open for trouble."

Trying to follow Lexie and EJ's concerns, Rex assumed, "Are we talking regulations and special interests getting in the way?"

EJ shook his head. "I don't think it is anyone connected to the government, but I know the Families are still up to something. I need to check in with Nazario and Zita soon."

Moving in on his sister, Mike noted Jen was watching Chad and Will while also keeping her eye on JJ. Though he had gotten a picture of things in Salem, he hadn't had the chance to talk to Jen fully since they were rushed to get to the wedding. "How is life in Salem?"

Jennifer turned towards her brother; she was so happy to have him in Salem again even if it was just for a short visit. "Things seem to be improving. Work has been wonderful at _The Salem Spectator_ … for the most part." She thought about Peter's recent visits.

Spotting Kristen with Brady, Mike asked, "Speaking of _The Salem Spectator_ , are you and Kristen friends again?"

Though they had their moments, Jen shared, "Things are a bit complicated between Kristen and me."

Mike gave Jen a look he could only give her as her older brother. "Is that complication her brother, Peter?"

Though it was more than Peter, Jen swiftly informed her brother, "I'm staying away from Mr. Blake."

"Was his invitation lost in the mail?" Mike curiously continued. "I thought Peter was considered family."

Turning back to face Chad and Will, Jennifer informed Mike, "Peter is not in with the DiMera family now that he has started his own business. Although that same rule doesn't seem to apply to his sister, Kristen." She then changed the subject. "How are things in Israel?"

As Mike opened up about his life, Laura rubbed their backs on her way to Abby, who was talking to Bill about her pregnancy. "I am so happy to have another grandchild!"

Abby was happy to have her grandmother join them. "Is that why Jeremy didn't come to the wedding?"

Laura eyed Bill and simply nodded her head for a few seconds. She then mentioned, "Jeremy decided to stay with his mother, Robin, since she isn't feeling well at the moment."

"I hope everything is okay," Abby replied noting some tension in her grandparents.

Moving past the discomfort, Bill pushed forward, "It's nothing you need to worry about. Where is Josh? I haven't seen much of him?"

Abby thought about how she saw him with Ezra before the wedding. "I'm sure he's around somewhere."

Melissa was grabbing a couple of drinks for her and her mother when Jack headed over to do the same. "It must be nice for you to have JJ here," she mentioned to make conversation.

"I am overjoyed," Jack concurred.

With the drinks now in her hands, Melissa questioned, "How is work going? You're covering this wedding, right? It's not the dangerous way of life you seem accustomed to."

Jack recognized the point Melissa was making and decided to make light of it. "Well, one of the grooms is a DiMera even if he's now a Horton on paper," he pointed out. Answering Melissa's original question, he shared, "Work is going well. This assignment is just a story I am doing for Nicole to appease Eric's concerns for her safety. The producers also think a gay wedding will be ratings gold even though there's really not much to investigate. Why are you curious?"

Melissa briskly replied, "There's no reason to investigate me because I have nothing to hide." Lifting her drinks to show she no longer had a reason to stay and chat, she walked away.

Jack shook his head wishing he could read Melissa better.

Since Brady wanted to check in with his sister, Kristen ventured off into the crowd to see if she could spark up a conversation with any friendly non-psycho guests. Avoiding Marlena and Laura, Kristen approached Billie. "It's so good to see you, old friend."

Billie forced a smile as best she could. She did not expect Kristen to approach her like this. "It's been so long…" she uncomfortably released.

Kristen picked up on Billie's discomfort. "Do you remember how much fun we had as roommates? We had such a blast!"

"That was so long ago." Billie needed an exit plan and saw one when she looked past Kristen. Frankie was talking to Bo. "Excuse me. I need to check in with my husband."

When Billie walked off, Kristen groaned quietly before deciding to find Brady, but before she could even move, Josh stepped in front of her. "Josh… how are you?"

Kristen tried to smile at him, but Josh wasn't there to be nice. After talking to Ezra, it only made sense that Kristen was the one blackmailing him. "You are the one who is behind all those texts and calls. I remember what you said to me at my engagement party a couple of years ago."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

Though Kristen seemed clueless, Josh didn't let up. "I know it's got to be you. You pretended to be someone else to help Ezra and Abby get closer while working at _The Salem Spectator_."

Kristen gave Josh a look to show he had completely lost it. "I have no idea what you are accusing me of, but you need to back off."

As she continued to talk to her grandparents, Abby witnessed the heated exchange between Kristen and her husband now. She did not understand what was happening.

Laura picked up that Abby seemed distracted and spotted Josh with Kristen as well. "What in the hell is Josh doing with that woman?"

"I have no idea," Abby released in a defeated tone. She felt like that was her answer for a lot of things involving her husband.

"You need to keep Josh away from her," Laura pushed.

Bill could see Laura was contemplating confronting Kristen once more. He gently grabbed her arm to calm her. "Let it go."

Laura gave Bill a frustrated look before taking a deep breath. Abby watched as Kristen walked off leaving Josh alone. She did not know what to do.

Sitting at a nearby table, Caroline discussed her thoughts on the joyous occasion with EJ and Sami. "It was truly a beautiful ceremony, and I am so proud of Will and Chad for making this commitment with each other. I can't believe I could have missed this if I hadn't shifted my way of thinking."

Sami smiled at her grandmother and said, "Well, I know Will is happy you are here to witness this. I am, too." Even though her focus was on Caroline, she could feel EJ watching her closely. He wanted to talk. They needed to talk.

Lexie walked over and grabbed Sami's attention. "We are supposed to dance with Chad and Will next." She was standing in to represent Chad's mother for the wedding.

Giving EJ an assuring look, Sami said, "I'll be back."

EJ kept his eyes on Sami as she and his sister joined Will and Chad on the dance floor.

"How is the family?" Caroline interrupted his thoughts.

EJ rested his elbow on the table as he turned to Caroline. "We are good. We are happy."

Caroline was glad to hear that. "I feel as though I have lived a good life. I've experienced more than most people."

Showing some concern, EJ commented, "Please don't be in a hurry to leave us."

Caroline simply smiled and stated, "I may not have a choice."

While Sami and Lexie danced with Will and Chad, Gabi kept her eyes on T. She hadn't talked to him yet, and she wasn't sure if she should.

Approaching his sister, Dario questioned, "Are you okay? Where's Carter?"

Gabi eyed T for a moment longer. "Manny took him to the restroom."

"Have you talked to him?" Dario knew what his sister was debating.

Shaking her head, Gabi finally turned her gaze to her brother. "I'm trying to figure out my next move. I guess I should start by talking to Justin."

Dario gave his sister a nod. "That sounds like a valid plan. I hope T's being alive is good news." His thoughts went to Ignazio and how he returned to Salem the day before when everyone thought he was dead as well.

"Me, too," Gabi said before taking a deep breath.

Sonny came over and kissed Dario. After placing his arm around his fiancé's waist, he shared, "I talked to T earlier and I think he's slowly realizing that the transition back to life in Salem will be a difficult one. He said he wants to talk to Chad and Will about something to make it easier."

Intrigued, Gabi wondered what that could be. "Did you mention anything about Carter?"

Sonny quickly denied it. "I did not. I know you should be the one to tell him."

Josh, who was trying to unwind from his confrontation with Kristen, came over and told Dario, "We need to get ready soon."

Dario turned to Sonny and gave him a kiss. He never could get enough of those, so he did it one more time as Justin and Adrienne joined them. "Hey, Boss. Hey, Justin. Excuse me…"

After Dario headed off with Josh to set things up for Will, Gabi released, "I'm glad you came over Justin, because I need to talk to you."

To give his father and Gabi privacy, Sonny grabbed his mom's hand and suggested, "We should dance so others will join us."

Adrienne gave her youngest an excited look. "Sounds like a great idea." She gave Justin a wink as Sonny led her away.

Now alone with Gabi, Justin voiced, "I know this is about T. I recommend you hold off on saying anything to him just yet because his being alive is such a wild card for your situation. While I do think T deserves to know about his son, we also need to make sure he doesn't help his parents in any way."

"But T hates his parents," Gabi countered.

Justin tilted his head as he argued, "You also told me he wasn't too fond of you before he left Salem. There are other ways he could help his parents as well though… such as any possible mental health issues. We don't know where he's been."

Gabi heard Justin and recognized his argument was sound, but she still felt conflicted. She sighed as she continued to debate her best option here.

Since T was standing by himself, Frank decided to talk to him since security had been cleared. "So, you're really here?" he let out showing he was still trying to process this fact.

T smiled widely and rushed Frank to give him a hug. "Pittsburgh? Is that really you?"

Frank smiled back and when he stepped backward he kept his hands on T's arms. "Yeah. I live here and work for the DiMera family now!" Looking T over, he continued to process this moment. "I can't believe you're alive! We all thought you were gone for good! We searched forever for you after the explosions!"

Showing that this was all overwhelming to him as well, T raised his eyes and said, "After the explosions, someone must have gotten to me first and nursed me to health. I was in a coma, but they never gave up on me. After I woke up, they made sure I regained my energy by giving me everything I needed to recuperate. Then they told me about Will and Chad's wedding before sending me to Salem to make sure I made it on time."

Though he found T's story suspicious, Frank didn't share his suspicions aloud. Wanting to keep things light for now, he squeezed T's arms and said, "I'm so happy that my friend is alive. There's so much to catch you up on."

T pulled Frank into another hug and said, "I'm happy to be back in Salem with my friends. It's great you made your home in Salem."

As more guests congregated on the dance floor, Gabi decided to just check in with T but stopped when she saw Frank talking to him. Fear overcame her as she wondered if Frank would reveal the truth about Carter. She needed to stop him before he could tell T anything.

Frank noticed right away that Gabi was making a beeline towards him and T. He quickly gave her a look to tell her not to come over. Fortunately, Gabi got the message and did not get any closer.

T didn't notice what Frank was doing because he was scanning the crowd. "Will is by himself. I need to check in with him. We'll catch up more later."

Frank nodded his head hoping T didn't notice Gabi was close. "Definitely. I need to do another security sweep." After giving T another hug, he quickly approached Gabi and said, "Don't worry. I didn't say anything to him."

Gabi was really stressing about all of this. She took a breath to calm herself. "I know I need to tell him." She expected Frank to push her on this.

With a look of caution, Frank argued, "I'm not sure if that's a good idea. You should hold off for now. Give yourself some time to make sure this is the right decision."

Surprised, Gabi tried to read Frank's demeanor and wondered, "Is there something wrong with T?"

Frank hesitated to answer because he wanted to make sure his friend was okay before he said anything. His phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket, so he pulled it out. He received an urgent text message that he needed to address. "Sorry. I have to make a call. Just stay away from T for now."

Gabi placed her hand over her chest and could feel her heart beating. She needed to find Carter. She hadn't seen him or her brother in some time. "Where are you two?"

Manny walked out of the men's bathroom with Carter; he began to scold him. "You can't make a mess like that again!" He sighed as they walked down the hall to enter the same way Chad and Will entered the ballroom. "This place is huge. I wonder if Chad and Will thought of everything when they built it."

When Manny and Carter entered from the back-corner entrance, Lexie was nearby. "Have you seen my mother? I can't find her."

"I haven't," Manny answered grabbing Carter's hand so he didn't run off. "Is Theo okay?"

Lexie showed some uncertainty. "I'm not so sure. We should do lunch soon. I'll catch up with you later."

After Lexie resumed her search for Celeste, Manny thought about Ignazio's visit the night before. Ignazio told him and Arianna that Gustavo was coming to Salem soon. Manny wondered if they could trust Ignazio and if they should tell Dario about what Ignazio said. Looking down at his nephew, he directed, "Carter, we need to find Mama." He wanted to talk to Arianna alone.

Chelsea and Cameron danced for a moment in silence before Chelsea made note of it. To get out of her head, she commented, "Taking pictures with everyone was fun."

Cameron happily agreed. "I'm glad you brought that up because I want to take a picture with Chad and Will with just the two of us before the night is over."

"That's a good idea," Chelsea affirmed.

Things became quiet again. Cameron continued to process Ignazio's return to Salem and how Chelsea seemed different since then. He knew he didn't want to complicate things for them so soon, but he also wanted to be direct and honest from the get go. "Are you still reeling from seeing Ignazio last night?"

Chelsea watched Cameron and recognized this was important to him. She told herself that it should be to her as well. "I honestly don't know what to think about it, but I know I don't want it to get in the way of my life now. I'm happy with how things are currently. Are you worried about Ignazio?"

Without hesitation, Cameron replied, "I'm only worried he will try to hurt you again."

With confidence, Chelsea smirked. "He can try, but I won't let him."

Cameron smiled at Chelsea's response. He felt better they talked about this now as opposed to later. "I shouldn't doubt your strength."

Cutting in abruptly, Lexie quickly apologized. "Sorry for stepping in. Cameron, have you seen our mother?"

Cameron let go of Chelsea to turn to his sister. "I haven't." Lexie seemed tense, so he offered, "How about a dance?" He turned to Chelsea and asked, "Do you mind?"

"I don't," Chelsea responded before giving Lexie the push she needed to dance with Cameron. When Lexie gave in, Chelsea headed for the table where she left her stuff.

Cameron checked in with his sister. "So, why are you so tense?"

Lexie struggled with relaxing. "I'm worried about Theo, our mom, as well as our father," she revealed.

"Has Stefano reached out again?"

"No," Lexie denied it before adding, "…but now I wonder if he's planning a return when we least expect it."

Cameron felt the same uncertainty Lexie was exuding. "We will all work together to make sure he doesn't have the same power he had before."

Lexie inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Mom must be powdering her nose or something…"

When Cameron decided to dance with Lexie, Chelsea took a seat and pulled her phone out of her purse. She noticed she had recently received a text message from someone requesting that she meet him or her outside. She checked her surroundings before sneaking out.

Walking out the front door, she headed for the gate and spotted Ignazio. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!"

Ignazio showed earnestness in his face. He tried to only focus on Chelsea. "I really needed to see you after last night. You seemed to want to keep your distance from me. I apologize for putting you in this tough position."

Hearing Ignazio apologize, Chelsea struggled and asked, "What do you really want?" She couldn't help getting lost in his ocean blue eyes.

Ignazio held onto the gate and said, "I want to create love now that I'm finally understanding it." His phone began to ring, so he looked at the screen. It was Gustavo; he had to take this. "I will reach out to you again when we can have better privacy, but I simply had to check in with you."

Watching Ignazio walk away, Chelsea sighed and told herself not to get sucked into Ignazio's web once more. He apologized for asking her to keep his secret, but he still didn't apologize for what he had done to her in the past. Ignazio didn't deserve anymore of her time.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Back at the Blake mansion, Peter put his cell down on the table and crossed over to his wife. "His phone is still disconnected. Have you heard anything else about Alessandro?"

Delphi shook her head. "When I talked to them again they specified they simply received a message supposedly from Alessandro that stated he was okay and that he needed to lay low for a while because he got caught up in something dangerous. He said he would be off the radar for a while and would contact us when he could."

Peter did not like this at all. "I wonder if this has anything to do with what he found at Roman's last known location. He said he planned to check something out."

"And that was the last you heard from him personally…" Delphi mentioned as she processed what this all could mean for them. "Did he say exactly what he was looking into?"

Peter thought back to his conversation with Alessandro. "He told me Roman uncovered a lab that he believed once belonged to André, but that was it. We need to be prepared for whatever." When Delphi received another call, he asked his wife, "Is it Alessandro?"

Delphi promptly answered no. "It's my parents." She took the call on her way out of the room.

Peter returned to his phone. He felt as though his wife was keeping him the dark about something connected to her parents. He wondered if he should check in with Ezra to see if he knew anything.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Standing close to the wedding cake with Bo, Hope, Kim, Shane, Steve, Marlena, John, Jeannie, and Greys, Kayla got onto those who were talking about her brother while they were at a wedding. "Look, I'm worried about Roman just like the rest of you, but he checked in and claimed he was okay." Nudging her older sister, she said, "Kim, back me up on this since Shane has been on his phone the entire reception."

Kim was distracted herself because she had her eye on Andrew as he talked to Gabi and played with Carter. Coming out of her thoughts, she noted the serious look on her sister's face and said, "Kayla is right. We can't let Roman consume our lives. There's so much more going on today."

Suddenly, Bo received a text message. "Roman just sent me something!" he announced. Reading the text quickly, Bo shared, "He says he's hoping he will be home soon, but it may be a while. He says he has good news for us."

Jeannie rolled her eyes and commented, "Maybe we can all enjoy the party now that Uncle Roman is no longer holding us hostage." Grabbing her girlfriend's hand, she led Greys towards the dance floor. She made eye contact with Michelle when they walked past her and Beth talking to Will and Chad.

When Andrew headed towards the drinks alone, Kim excused herself and intrusively approached him. "What's going on with Gabi?"

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Nothing. There's nothing to talk about."

"Remember what happened last time."

"Don't go there again," Andrew interjected. "I won't make the same mistake twice."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Kim gave her son a stern look as she lectured, "From where I'm standing, you already are."

Andrew returned the same look his mother was giving him. "I'm an adult. You are a therapist who helps parents step back when they're kids get ready to leave the home."

Trying not to take offense to what Andrew implied, Kim argued, "I'm not always in your business, but last time, you came to me to help you through your pain. I'm not trying to run anything for you."

Andrew took a step back realizing his mother was right. "Mom, I appreciate your support, and I always will, but please just leave this one alone."

Kim sighed. "Fine."

Will enjoyed watching Chad catch up with his friends who came to Salem for the wedding. He already knew Michelle and Beth, but meeting Velvet and Kelvin for the first time, he got the opportunity to see a different side of his husband. He loved it.

Velvet suddenly grabbed Will's hand like they were close friends. "It is so great to finally meet you, Will. I watched that concert Chad put together a few years back online and it was great to see Chad start to put the pieces of his life back together. The ceremony today was wonderful. You two really do belong together."

Will smiled appreciatively. "Thank you for taking care of Chad while he was in Texas and making sure he came back to me when he was ready."

"Chad is definitely a special person," Velvet complimented Chad as she patted his back.

After Velvet let go of Will's hand, Kelvin questioned, "Is it true Alessandro only worked with us to spy on you, Chad?"

Chad thought about Alessandro. He hadn't seen him in a long time. "Yeah, Alessandro is actually my second-cousin. It's a long story, but he's out of the picture now doing who knows what."

"I always got this weird vibe from him," Kelvin mentioned. "He seemed obsessed with you. I thought he was gay and had a crush on you."

Chad scratched the back of his head feeling a bit awkward. "Well, he was definitely obsessed, but it had to do with my aunt, his grandma. Like I said... it's all complicated."

Michelle stepped forward and commented, "Oh, the life of a DiMera is never boring."

Chad dropped his hand to the side as he assertively reminded his friends. "It's Horton now." He made sure to wink at Will.

Safiya abruptly skipped into the group with a big grin on her face. "Sorry to intrude," she stated before grabbing Will's arm. "Will, can I borrow you for a moment? I need to ask you something."

Will quickly recognized this was his cue that things were ready. "Of course. Excuse me."

After Will walked away with Safiya, Kelvin turned to Chad. "I can't believe I attended a wedding with Safiya Tyrell! She is even hotter in person!"

Chad laughed at Kelvin. "I could introduce you two if you want."

Beth piped in, "Could you reintroduce me as well?"

Michelle playfully elbowed her girlfriend as Chad promised, "When she comes back, I'll introduce you."

After checking in on Julian and Mary, Sami walked down the stairs, walked through the hall, and reentered the ballroom to find EJ talking to Eric, Nathan, and Melanie. She wondered what they were discussing but stopped when she saw the memory table that Chad and Will put together of some of their favorite memories with each other.

"What's all this?" Lucas asked as he approached the table as well. "What's the significance of these pictures?"

Sami gave Lucas a proud look as she shared, "These are important pictures of our son and Chad through the years." There was the photo Abby took of the group in Colorado, a few photos Sami took of the group before they left on their yacht trip, and more. She picked up one of the framed photos to show Lucas. "This is the one Chad and Will kept on their phones while they were separated. It's a picture they took on the DiMera yacht after they made things official between them."

Lucas grabbed the framed photo and looked it over. "They look so happy." He looked across the room and noted his son talking to Safiya, Josh, and Dario. "They're even happier now."

Sami agreed. "I thought after everything they have been through with Stefano, they wouldn't be able to find normal again."

"What is normal?" Lucas questioned.

Raising her eyebrows, Sami noted Lucas had a point. "I just hope they don't let anything get in the way of their relationship." She turned and saw EJ standing alone. Unable to hold off anymore, she decided she needed to talk to her husband now. "I'll talk to you later."

After Sami walked off, Kate approached a confused Lucas. "You must be a proud father."

Putting the frame down on the table, Lucas beamed and said, "It's been a fulfilling day."

"Smile," Nicole walked up with a camera in her hand. "That's if you two know how to be genuinely happy. We all know how much you enjoy misery's company."

Kate scoffed at Nicole. "Have you ever genuinely done something for someone that didn't involve selfish motives?"

As Nicole snapped a picture of their disappointed faces, Lucas released, "What the hell? What do you think you're doing? These photos that you're taking are supposed to be for my son's wedding."

"I took that one for my personal collection since I'm _so_ selfish," Nicole excused her actions. She smiled big before walking away.

Kate shook her head before turning to her son. "Don't let Nicole win."

"I don't care about Nicole," Lucas replied. "I do feel bad for Eric."

Kate nodded her head in agreement as she added, "There is one good thing about Nicole being around… at least I can still be a complete bitch to someone and not feel any guilt about it."

As soon as she was close enough, Sami took EJ's hand and got straight to the point. "Why were you talking to Will earlier?"

Believing Sami was referring to when he talked to Will and Chad during the reception, EJ gave Sami a skeptical look and said, "We were only talking about the ceremony. I'm trying to make sure they are having fun."

"No," Sami released. "I know Will was talking to you and Frank before the wedding because I saw the call log on Will's phone."

EJ realized this is what Sami wanted to talk to him about earlier. "Will was asking questions about Stefano wanting to know if any gift had arrived from him," he answered honestly.

Sami closed her eyes realizing she had made something out of nothing. "I'm sorry." Opening her eyes again, she assumed, "I guess Stefano's second gift never arrived."

"Not that I am aware," EJ answered pulling Sami close. "Samantha, you know I wouldn't leave you in the dark about anything."

Sami rested her head on EJ's chest and said, "I know."

"Mr. DiMera," Frank came over interrupting EJ and Sami's moment. "I have news on your father, but we should talk privately."

Sami followed Frank and EJ into the hall that led to the front door of Chad and Will's mansion. "Did you get it done?" she questioned.

Frank gave EJ and Sami a look of bewilderment. "Stefano is supposedly dead."

"What did you just say?" EJ released in shock.

Arianna spied EJ, Sami, and Frank head into the hall. She looked at the time and wondered where Marco had to go this time. Hoping to hear from him soon, she flashed back to their conversation the day before.

* * *

 _Friday, September 16th, 2016_

* * *

Meeting Marco at the park, Arianna took a seat next to him after giving him a kiss. It was so good to see him again. "So, are you here for good or will you leave me again to go on another adventure with your mom?"

Marco remained quiet for a moment as he held his breath. Finally exhaling, he said, "Something is happening tomorrow that I need to give you a heads up about…"

Arianna became worried. She could tell by the tone of Marco's voice, this was something serious. "What is it?"

* * *

 _ **Present**_ _: Saturday, September 17_ _th_ _, 2016_

* * *

Returning to the present, Arianna whispered to herself, "That all changed because he had to go out of town again." She told herself that this may have been for the better. This gave her time to process what Marco told her so she could help him through it.

Catching up with his sister, Manny caught her attention and said, "We need to talk about Ignazio and Dario. What are we going to do?"

Arianna felt overwhelmed and defeated. "I have no clue," she answered.

While Sami checked in with Johnny, Allie, and Sydney, EJ decided he needed to find his siblings to tell them the news on their father. He discovered Chad sitting alone at a table. Reflecting on how his brother changed his last name, he knew there was so much he wanted to talk to him about, but that would have to wait. Before he could join Chad, T arrived first.

EJ heard T intensely tell Chad, "You got it done!"

Stopping in his tracks, something told EJ that he needed to back off for now. Maybe it was the way Chad looked at T or it could have been the way T shared his excitement, but something definitely didn't feel right.

As other questions began to formulate in EJ's mind, Lexie interrupted his thoughts. "I still can't find my mother, and I am really worried."

At the same time, across the room, Ciara attempted to talk to Theo once more. "Look, Carver… I'll leave you alone the rest of the night if that's what you want."

Theo remained silent, so Ciara began to walk away. Suddenly, a drop of blood fell from his nose. Catching it before it landed on his clothes, Theo sensed something was wrong with his grandmother and stopped Ciara by grabbing her arm. "I need your help," he released.

Ciara studied Theo's body language and noted he was sensing something. "How can I help?" She wanted to do whatever she could to prove she cared about him.

Theo began to scan the guests in the ballroom. "I need you to help me find my grandma and mom."

As Theo continued to search the crowd, Ciara chose to head to the bathrooms in case she was in there. Lexie and EJ were headed in the same direction. "Lexie," Ciara called out to Theo's mom.

Hearing the fear in Ciara's voice, Lexie rushed to her son's friend. "What is it? Did Theo faint again?"

Ciara shook her head. "No, but he asked me to help him find you and your mom. I think he's worried something happened to Celeste."

"She may be in the bathroom," Lexie urgently hypothesized.

Ciara followed Lexie to the women's bathroom where they found Celeste on the ground waking up. "Oh, my gosh."

"Mom, have you been in here the entire time?"

Disoriented, Celeste tried to pull herself up. "No," she said at first. "I don't know… where am I?"

Lexie rushed to her mom's side and tried to help her to her feet. "We are at Chad and Will's house. You must have fainted." When Ciara helped her with Celeste, Lexie suggested, "Let's get you out of here so you can sit and drink something."

After helping Celeste out of the bathroom and into the ballroom, Theo rushed over and looked Celeste over. She thought about what she saw while she was passed out and tried to play it off. "I'm fine. I just didn't get enough fluids today."

Theo knew better, and he knew Celeste knew better as well. Overcome, he rushed off.

After being seated, Celeste requested, "May I have some lemonade." She knew she would have to talk to Theo after she regained her energy. Death was here.

Outside, Theo ran out one of the patio doors in back and headed towards the garden. He desperately wanted to escape the dark uncertainty that filled him. Why did his nose bleed? Was it somehow connected to the fear he saw in Celeste's eyes. What did it all mean? He ran as fast as he could even once he reached Chad and Will's garden. He ran so hard he lost track of his feet and fell to the ground hitting his head.

 _Theo_ laid on the ground rubbing his head when he suddenly heard Ciara calling out to him. She was saying his full name. "I'm right here!" he shouted. "I'm okay!"

Ciara rushed to his side before helping him up. "Are you sure you're okay?" she questioned. "You're shaking."

Theo didn't care that his body was shaking. He was just so frustrated with everything. "I hate that this is coming back. I need to fix myself again! The last vision I had today, I saw my nonno dead!"

With a confused expression on her face, Ciara deliberated, "I thought you said Stefano was coming back to Salem."

Looking down and trying to make sense of things, Theo stated, "Something must have changed because it doesn't make sense. I just want it to be over!"

"I'm so sorry, Carver!"

Theo took a step back from Ciara. He could not escape the darkness and did not want to spread it to anyone else. "Just stay away from me. It's better that way."

"At least come inside! You don't have to hide out here!"

Trying to calm his tone for Ciara's sake, Theo promised, "I will in a minute. Just give me a minute."

Ciara turned around and headed for the mansion. Theo could hear her saying his name. It got fainter and quieter as she got further away.

 _Back_ inside, Will had taken the stage with Josh, Dario, and Safiya. With a microphone in his hand, he announced, "So I wrote this song for Chad. I hope you love it, Handsome."

T patted Chad's back as he approached him. "You are one lucky S.O.B., Chad."

Chad smiled as he focused on Will. "I sure am."

Josh and Dario began to play their guitars while Safiya sat behind a piano. When Safiya began to play, Will sang:

 _For the longest time I was going through the motions  
In many ways I was dormant, burying my emotions so deep  
I was asleep  
Sleeping day in and day out not knowing I was missing  
No one could really see me, so much I was dismissing of me  
Now I can see  
To my surprise  
You lit up my eyes  
By just being here  
Now it's so clear…_

 _Let's walk the path  
Marked by the fruitful trees  
We'll go hand in hand  
Plant the ground with our fertile seeds  
We'll build this life together  
We'll make this place ours  
We'll have the greatest love  
A love that empowers  
The skies the limit of what we could be  
We'll grow our world together, you and me  
We could be…  
We could be… _

_We could be the greatest story in the never-ending universe  
We'll beat the odds, enjoy the better and get through the worse, my heart  
It's a new start  
You light up my eyes  
And I can visualize  
Our hearts become one  
Never to be undone _

_Let's walk the path  
Marked by the fruitful trees  
We'll go hand in hand  
Plant the ground with our fertile seeds  
We'll build this life together  
We'll make this place ours  
We'll have the greatest love  
A love that empowers  
The skies the limit of what we could be  
We'll grow our world together, you and me  
We could be…  
We could be… _

Sonny joined Chad and T and questioned, "Did you have any clue he was doing this?"

Chad looked to Sonny and admitted, "No clue. When did he practice with the others? He's been gone and… he's just so amazing!"

Sonny patted Chad on the back. "Both of you are."

Will continued:

 _Though we may lose our way from time to time  
I will always be yours, and you will always be mine _

_So, let's walk the path  
Marked by the fruitful trees  
We'll go hand in hand  
Plant the ground with our fertile seeds  
We'll build this life together  
We'll make this place ours  
We'll have the greatest love  
A love that empowers  
The skies the limit of what we could be  
We'll grow our world together, you and me  
We could be…  
We could be…  
Love_

When the song had ended, Chad led all the guests to applaud the performance. He walked up on stage soon after and gave Will a kiss after saying, "Thank you for that, Blue. It's beautiful."

Will pulled Chad into a warm embrace and said, "Thank you for making all my dreams come true."

Walking off the stage holding hands, Chad and Will were approached by JJ, Jen, Jack, and Abby. "That was an awesome song, Will," JJ said first before awkwardly releasing, "It's time for me to go."

Will let go of Chad's hand and gave JJ a hug. "Thanks for taking the time out to come to my wedding. I am proud of you for pushing for growth in your life."

JJ stepped back and gave Will an appreciative nod. "Thanks for your support. I enjoy getting your letters."

Jen, Jack, and Abby gave Will and Chad hugs to say goodbye. All three were heading in to take JJ back to rehab. JJ took the opportunity to give Jade and Qamar hugs as well. Smiling, he told them, "I will see you soon. Q, we'll figure out the roommate thing if you still want that."

"I told you that I do," Qamar released. He was definitely going to miss him.

As the reception continued, Will and Chad enjoyed their cake and short conversation with all their guests. They even made an announcement for T. Taking a break to themselves, they found an empty table to sit. "It hasn't even been that long and I am completely in love with the idea of being your husband," Chad grinned.

Will grabbed Chad's hand and pulled it on his lap. "It's wonderful, isn't it? I keep thinking this is some kind of dream, but fortunately it's all real. We are married, and no one stopped us."

Dario and Sonny walked over to join them. "Jackson and I are next." He couldn't wait to marry Sonny.

Chad pulled out the chairs next to him so Dario and Sonny would sit. "You two will have a great wedding day just like us."

Taking a seat, Sonny lightheartedly commented, "I hope it's less stressful leading up to our wedding though."

All four laughed. Will checked the time and noted, "All our guests are still having fun." He loved that everyone could come to their home together like this. Turning to Chad, he questioned, "Should we begin our journey to our honeymoon?"

Chad squeezed Will's hand and said, "Most definitely." Standing with his husband, he led Will towards their other guests so they could start their goodbyes. They found Sami, EJ, Lucas, and Kate first.

Dario and Sonny remained at the table and watched their friends. Taking Sonny's hand, Dario stated, "We'll be okay, Jackson. I won't leave you."

Sonny's heart began to beat through his chest. Even though Dario had only said a few words, he had said a lot more in between the lines. "I'm sorry I'm making you wait."

Dario continued to watch as Chad and Will moved on to say goodbye to Ezra, Kristen, and Brady. "I'm not waiting. I already love you."

Sonny took a deep breath and kept his eyes forward. Though he had learned to trust himself more with time, something deep inside him told him he was still doing this all wrong.

(*) ***** (*) ***** (*)

Later that evening, Chad and Will arrived to the hotel they were staying at before they caught their flight to their honeymoon destination in the morning. After putting their luggage away, Will took off his suit jacket and made conversation as Chad began to undress as well. "It sucks that we didn't get to say goodbye to your sister, Celeste, or Theo."

Chad agreed. "Yeah, that was odd. EJ and Cameron said Celeste and Theo weren't feeling well, so Lexie skipped out after your performance. I didn't see anything, did you?"

Will denied it. "We should call in to check with them tomorrow."

Chad agreed as he began to unbutton his shirt. "What do you think we should do now?"

Will pulled off his shirt and began to undo his slacks. "I've been itching to see your moves like Jagger all night," he mischievously revealed.

"Oh yeah?" Chad moved closer to Will and kicked off his shoes. "You performed for me on stage… I guess it's the least I can do."

Will watched as Chad shook his hips from side to side to his own beat. "That's definitely what I was hoping for," he encouraged his husband. "…but can I get a bit more _oomph_?"

Chad moved closer to Will as he unbuttoned his slacks and teasingly pulled down the zipper. "Like that?"

Will nodded his head as he finally took off his last piece of clothing. All he had left was his necklace with the key on it. After jumping on the bed, Will encouraged, "Come to bed, Handsome."

Chad gladly joined Will on the bed. He seductively climbed on top of him with his briefs still on. Pretending to be flabbergasted, he released, "Oops… I think I forgot one last thing."

"What's that?" Will inquisitively questioned. His eyes were on Chad's tightening briefs.

Unexpectedly, Chad leaned his head forward and began to kiss next to Will's ears causing Will to start laughing. "Gotcha!"

Will squirmed as Chad continued to kiss the spot where he was the most ticklish. "I can't believe you did that!" he playfully exclaimed. He knew what he had to do if he wanted to take control of the situation. Grabbing Chad's hips, he flipped him over and began to kiss Chad's weakness: his nipples.

Though the mood had suddenly become playful, things became serious just as fast. Chad let out a moan as Will continued to kiss his chest. "I love how you know me so well!"

"You are my heart, Chad. I'm never letting you go." Will pulled off Chad's briefs freeing his throbbing cock. He placed his lips around it and allowed his tongue to explore the tip.

Chad grasped the sheets on the bed as his hips raised from the bed. How did Will keep getting better at this every time? "Blue…"

Will continued to taste his husband's excitement as he traced the curves and indentions of Chad's back and glutes with his fingers. He wanted to enjoy this as long as he could so he slowed down his pace as he looked up to watch Chad bite his lip in delight. He had the perfect view and was excited to have Chad all to himself.

As much as he was enjoying Will's talents, Chad wanted to make sure to return the favor. He looked down and smiled when he caught Will eyeing him with great admiration. Just seeing those gorgeous blue eyes look right into his soul caused him to jerk in complete elation. His body quaked as it tried to recover from such a release.

With the biggest and proudest grin on his face, Will climbed on top of Chad as he caught his breath and began to kiss his husband's chin. His eyes glimmered because there was so much more he wanted to do tonight.

When Chad finally calmed his breathing, he turned around and grinned widely at Will. "That was amazing." Before Chad could return the favor, the hotel phone began to ring.

Will sat up in bed and gave Chad a curious look. "That's odd." He pulled himself off the bed to grab the phone. "Why are they calling?"

Chad shrugged his shoulders and watched as Will answered the phone. He admired the view and studied every inch of his husband's firm body. He was going to savor every part of Will tonight and for the rest of their lives. When Will hung up the phone, he asked, "Who was that?"

With a confused expression on his face, Will rejoined Chad on the bed. "It was the front desk. They wanted to make sure everything was to our liking. That's not usual, right?"

Chad noted the look of worry on Will's face. He sat up and pulled Will onto his lap. "I don't think so, but maybe they're checking tonight because we just got married."

Will rested his head upon Chad's chest and nuzzled his nose in the small hairs of his right nipple. "Married… We are married."

Chad kissed the top of Will's head and pulled him close. They both relaxed for a moment. "You're not done for the night, are you?"

Will pulled his head from Chad and gave him a playful look to show he was pretending to be offended. "Done? Cuddles, that was just part one. Are you ready for part two?"

Chad laughed before leaning forward to passionately and lovingly embrace Will. "William Horton, I love you."

"I love you, Chad Horton."

 _ **To Be Continued...**_

* * *

We Could Be, Part 2 will come in 2017! Thanks for reading!


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